The Adulterer
by hermajestysoutlaw
Summary: Regina Locksley is a successful writer from the Upper East side of Manhattan. She and husband, Robin are said to have the perfect lives: a lavish home, promising careers, beautiful children. Though what happens when she uncovers the truth about her husbands secret love life? Will she forgive his cheating habits? Or will she deem them inexcusable and walk away?
1. Chapter 1

Hallo Everyone! Its Brienne. I do hope you enjoy the first chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it for you. But I must warn you, this is not your typical, mushy, outlaw queen fanfiction. Prepare yourself for some tears in the near chapters and quite a bit of aggravation. But fear not, I assure you, your hours of frustration as you follow in the coming weeks will eventually come to an end…or not. Who knows? Ha-ha. For now, I guess all you can do is read. Good luck and don't hesitate to leave comments, I love criticism, both good and bad.

The Adulterer

Chapter 1

Time: 2:05AM

Place: The Locksley's Kitchen

Destination: Deep beneath the covers

Regina dried her pruning hands with a dish towel after storing away the last of the dishes, but non the less, there was still a counter spread of water that needed drying and of course there was storing them away. Night fall had since come and was easing into the early morning. If exhaustion hadn't hit her from running after her children all day, she was certainly tired now. She looked at the mess before her and gave a soft sigh. The brunette woman closed her eyes as she blinked away their heavy feeling, running her hands through her silk like strands. A yawn followed and then she began to clear the stray droplets of water from the counter tops. The house was nearly silent; the only noise coming from the low volume of the television.

 _Enough._

 _One of her favorite films._

It's a shame too, because it's just starting and she's certain she's way past the 'exhausted stage'. She glances anyway though, internally kicking herself for leaving the TV on HBO. Just what is it about JLO on the big screen that makes Regina so intrigued? Maybe it's because she secretly wishes she could see a part of her in herself. Or maybe she just likes her acting skills. She watches for the moment as the movie (with limited commercial, and gosh is this a bad time for her favorite movie to be playing) begins and then she's turning her head toward the clock.

2:18am.

She should be heading to bed. But now it's a matter of getting there. The couch she's sitting on is very comfortable and well, the sixteen steps up to her bedroom is quite the walk. So suddenly she's easing into the crevice of the plush sofa, her eyes weakly locked to the flickering screen. The mood is calm, and the heat of the fireplace warms the air.

She has a lovely home.

Each room was decorated to perfection, lined with inviting tones and beautiful accents that seemed to reflect their taste (well mostly hers, to be fair Robin had been occupied by his cell phone whilst she'd been choosing their home décor). The furnishings were a wonderful mix of modern and traditional, exactly as she'd pictured her home to be. But then again, what really made it a home were the people living in it.

Regina's mind wandered to her children and she couldn't help but smile. Her mind began to wander on the school made crafts they'd bring home, hanging them proudly on the fridge. Everything from the hand turkeys and paper ornaments they'd make around the holiday season, to the countless drawings they'd make for her to take to work were special. Those two never ceased to make her feel like the most amazing mother in the world. And well, she was.

The sounds of the crackling fire seemed to bring her back to reality. She sighed, lifting from the deep cushions to reach for the remote. Perhaps recording it would be best. Regina set the proper recording time for the DVR, turned off the television, and set the remote on her cherry wood end table. As she moved to slide her slippers over her toes, she'd heard something.

Suddenly her cell phone had caught her eye in the distance; the device vibrating without end as its lights began to flash.

 _Who could possibly be calling at this hour? She asked herself._

Regina walked over to the elaborate glass dining table to where she stood before her phone. Though as she took a closer look, she'd realized the phone wasn't hers, and the call was most definitely not for her. It was her husbands, Robin's to be exact.

Across the Caller ID read: Liza.

Regina braced herself, deciding not to assume the worst. For all she knew this could be a complete misunderstanding. So without further hesitation she picked up the phone and answered, deciding not to speak.

"Hmm…finally. I was starting to think you ditched me. You've been a very bad boy lately." Said the voice on the other line.

"Who are you?" Regina immediately asked.

The voice on the other end immediately went silent.

"It's too late to deny anything now, just tell me who you are and how the hell you know my husband." Said Regina, as she clung tighter to the phone.

She heard the women's breaths on the other end and could tell she was very nervous.

"Come on. Don't be a coward!" She said.

Her voice peeked to a high, ringing though the quiet home. Upon realizing how loud she was, she lowered her tone. Regina bit her lips in utter shock; this was no emergency call. This was a late night booty call from some tramp. A woman who had no business fooling around with a married man.

"Look I'm sorry, I didn't know he was married." She said and immediately disconnected the phone call.

Regina suddenly felt weak, as if her legs could give out any second. The brunette held the phone to her chest, her lips slowly quivering as her eyes filled with fresh tears. After seconds of standing there she hadn't even realized she'd dropped it. How could she when her mind was now filled with fear? And then came a terrible feeling in the pit of her abdomen. Her insides twisting into a knot as a wave of nausea hit her. She ran to the hall bathroom to empty her stomach as she silently sobbed to herself. How could he do this to her? To their children? Were things really this bad? Was she somehow oblivious to his feelings this entire time? Because she thought things were going okay. Great even.

Regina immediately began to ponder on all that she could have done, though she couldn't think of anything that stood out. She was in great shape and had perfect skin, her nails were always well kept. She was a fantastic mother to their children. Dinner was always prepared on time, except for the few nights she'd come home late from work. But he couldn't possibly opt to leave her just because of a few days of take-out could he?

The cool tile floor soothed her achy feeling, but she didn't have the strength to get up. And so she sat there, her night gown barely reaching over her thighs as she sulked. She hadn't even noticed him walk through the bathroom door until she smelled his pungent cologne.

She looked up to face him.

"What's wrong?" Asked Robin as he placed both hands in his pockets.

He wore a white dress shirt and a pair of black lined trousers, his hair freshly combed and his shoes, polished and shined.

"Guess you're all ready to go huh?" She asked.

Robin smirked and licked his lips, avoiding eye contact with her.

"She called you and I answered."

"Who?" Asked Robin as he took a step closer.

"Liza. The little slut you've been fucking." She spat.

"Ouch."

Robin held his heart and tilted his head.

"How long?" She asked.

"Excuse me?"

"How long have you been sleeping with her?"

"Does it really matter?" He asked.

The words cut through her like sharp knives through a piece of fruit. She shook her head and tears began to rush from her eyes. She could no longer hold them in because suddenly all of her emotions rushed to the fore front.

"Why Robin? How could you do this to me? I-I thought we were happy…"

"I am happy." He smirked.

"No you aren't. If you were, you wouldn't feel the need to cheat on me! What is it huh? Is it our sex life? Am I not pretty enough anymore?" She asked.

"No, our sex life is amazing and you look great. But you see Regina, I am a man of many interests and needs. I like to keep things spontaneous if you will." He explained.

The blonde man adjusted the sterling silver cufflinks around his wrists and folded his arms. A smug smile rested on his lips as he leaned against the door wall. Was this honestly a joke to him? Could he not see how much he'd already hurt her? Regina was in complete and utter shock. The man before her now was the furthest thing from the man she married. Had she known that things would result in this she never would have picked him to father her children.

"Just think, now I don't have to sneak around anymore and tell you I'm working late hours or going to the bar. Now I can just say, I'm going to Liza's." He smirked.

"Go to hell." She said, finally receiving the strength she needed to get up.

He gave her a guilty look as she brushed past his shoulder. Robin turned to follow her and grabbed her arm, a possessiveness in his eyes that seemed to spark her anger.

"Don't touch me! Stay the fuck away from me!" She said pushing him away.

Regina heard the baby monitor go off from the downstairs living room. She immediately ran up their grand staircase and up to their daughter's room. And thank God for it, because if she had to look at his face for even a second more, she'd have lost it. Upon entering her daughter's room, she turned on the lights, and quickly moved to her crib.

"Oh…its okay peanut, mommy's here." She said, lifting the two-year-old into her arms. She kissed her daughter's head, bringing it to her chest.

Her room was a beautiful pale gray, with accents of gold and silver. It was designed for an elite princess with beautiful mahogany flooring and bright sky light windows. There was a bookshelf that housed all of her first and second year books. Though toward the middle there were tons of tales in order from Cinderella to Moby Dick. Above her crib hung an elaborate gold crown draping with a silk canopy. It was truly elegant and fit just for her beautiful little girl. Though what she'd loved most of all about that room was the monogramed wall art of her name. Across her crib hung, Vivienne, in large black lettering. Regina had loved her name, it had reminded her of her grandmother.

Regina's grandmother had meant the world to her, though she'd died years earlier. It was very difficult for her to see her pass because they had been very attached to one another. As a child she'd take Regina almost everywhere with her. And lord bless her heart for it because Regina wasn't the easiest child to deal with. She was very inquisitive and quite the little handful when it came to behaving. But despite everything, she had a good heart and a love for reading. Her grandmother discovered her early interest and would take her to their local library on the weekends. She'd collect as many books as she could get her hands on and take them home to read, only to begin the cycle all over again. It was how she eventually developed an appreciation for writing and why she eventually began to write herself.

Her mother Cora had spent long hours as a waitress in the city and often times her daughter became a second priority. But with her books to keep her company, Regina found an outlet, an escape to which she could be anything, and do anything. Her grandmother inspired her to become the success that she now was. Except now she felt like anything but a success. Now she felt like a failure for being oblivious to the mess of her own marriage.

Robin moved for the door, a small overnight bag in hand with an umbrella. It had been pouring outside and the thunder had suddenly come on so strong. I guess it was befitting considering the circumstances.

"I'll be back in the morning. Don't wait up." He said, his words sharp and firm.

Regina clutched tighter to her daughter, shuttering in an intense emotional fit. She could not believe this was happening to her. In her mind this sort of thing only existed in dramatic movies, but certainly not for her. If she wasn't holding her child in her arms, Robin would have heard a few choice words from her. Worse, she would have come back swinging and chasing him around their huge mansion. Regina had never been so angry in her life. This could not have been happening, and especially at a time like this. Not when their lives were about to change again.

Regina watched before the window pane, the bright head lights to his prized BMW flashing against the paneling as he pulled off. Suddenly tears began to flood down her cheeks, uncontrollable heavy salt filled tears. Her body had not fully recovered from her first emotional episode, so seeing him actually go was far worse.

"Dada." Said Vivienne as she pointed toward the window.

"Yah, dada's in a lot of trouble." She said, running her fingers through her daughter's hair.

Vivienne was a beautiful little girl, no doubt just as beautiful as her mother. Unlike her brother she had dark raven hair like Regina; it reached her shoulders, flipping slightly at the ends. And her hazel eyes were a mix of her mother's amber ones and her father's sky blue ones. She also had her father's dimples, with a pair of the most chewable cheeks. Her lips were two little swells of scarlet and her nose, small and button like. Regina rocked her child in her arms as she began to drift back into sleep. And then, the light patter of small feet brushed against the floor, making her turn.

"Mummy why are you crying?" She heard a voice ask.

Regina quickly turned to see her five-year-old walking toward her. He looked concerned, though wore the most innocent expression. Clutching his blanket in his arms, he walked toward her. Her boy was the mirror image of her husband, eyes like the shimmering oceans, streak dirty-blonde locks that came to his shoulders, and a pair of the cutest dimples she'd ever seen. She had to remind herself that the little boy was certainly not her husband and had nothing to do with his failure at fulfilling that duty. The brunette came from her thoughts as she tried to stomach the ill feelings she now had.

"Oh, it's okay Romeo, mommy's fine, she just found out some bad news today that's all." She said, hoping he wouldn't press her for more information.

The brunette wiped at her tears, finding that most of them had dried into her face. She stood to her feet as she balanced her, now sleeping, two-year-old in her arms.

"Come on. We should get you and your sister back to bed." She said.

"Can I have juice first?" He asked.

"Of course you can." She said, as she moved to the fridge, careful as to not wake her daughter.

The brunette removed a jug of Mott's Apple Juice, before pouring some into his juice cup. She tightened the lid in hopes that he wouldn't spill it and they headed upstairs to their rooms to get some much needed rest.

As Regina pulled back the charcoal sheets of her king sized bed she took a deep breath. Then allowed the plush blankets to claim her, the warmth easing the chilling feeling to her body. This was not only effecting her emotions; this was affecting her physically. She closed her eyes and tried to imagine something, anything other than the horror of the reality she now faced. After all, she was a writer; surely there must have been something she could think of to distract her thoughts. Unfortunately, her vivid imagination betrayed her, and all she could do was cry. She remained that way for what seemed like hours, until finally tears did not come.


	2. Chapter 2

The Adulterer

Chapter 2

"Enough"

The next morning came and Regina rose to the sweet cries of Vivienne. And as drained as the brunette might have felt, it didn't halt her role as a parent. Though her husband obviously didn't feel the same. Apparently, it was completely exceptional for him to escape into the dead of night to tend to his whores. The thought burned through her mind, causing a sizzling rage to stir within her. Though if she wanted to keep her sanity, she would have to put him out of her mind. He certainly did not deserve to dwell in her thoughts or to have her attention. Right now, all that mattered were her children, the two undivided loves of her life.

She made her way down the hall to where the cries had formed and put on her best smile.

"Good Morning my angel!" She smiled.

The tears of her two-year-old immediately stopped and she reached up with two open arms.

Regina laughed and lifted her daughter into her arms.

"God you're getting so big." She smiled, placing a kiss to her daughter's head. Balancing the child in her arms, she grabbed her dummy from her crib.

"Let's go see your brother, shall we?" She asked, placing it into her mouth, as it seemed to calm her quickly.

The two walked down the hall to her son's dinosaur themed room. He truly loved learning about the gigantic beasts, and knew many facts about them. She was quite impressed with how fast he was able to grasp information he enjoyed learning. Surely he must have taken after her in that aspect. In fact, he was much like her at her age, very inquisitive, curious. But he had the biggest heart and had the most beautiful smile.

"Romeo." Regina called.

The five-year-old turned in his bed and smiled up at his mother. He wrapped his arms around her neck, taking in her morning scent.

"Good Morning monkey." She smiled.

"Good Morning mummy." He smiled.

She placed a small kiss on his forehead. Vivienne took her dummy from her mouth and moved to tackle her brother with kisses, her daily morning thing. Her kisses were sloppy and filled with slobber, but Romeo never dared to wipe them away. The boy loved his sister more than anything in this world.

"Viv, you always slobber on me!" He laughed.

The baby giggled in her brother's arms and Romeo took her to his toy box to play.

"Okay you two play nicely, and Vivienne, no hitting okay?" She asked.

The child simply smiled, she had enough knowledge to know when she was in trouble. Lately she had taken up hitting, and unfortunately, poor Romeo had been an easy target. He always took it, never yelled at her, or hit her back. But instead, he kissed her hands and told her that it wasn't a nice thing to do. Though it never really stopped her. She was a bit of a handful and Regina knew that soon enough things would get even more trying.

As the children played in Regina's view, she took an opportunity to make a call. Last night was a wakeup call for the for her, a blatant indication that her marriage was hanging by a thread. And honestly, she couldn't care less if it had broken. Tears would no longer come and her heart was now as numb as an anesthetic. The pain he'd caused her was unforgivable and a divorce sounded like a great way to escape. She had to think of the future for her children first.

Regina rang her best friend Tink, praying she'd answer in the early morning.

"Hmm..hallo?" she asked, clearly half asleep.

"Hey Tink…it's Regina, I'm so sorry to wake you but I need a favor. I didn't know who else to call." Said Regina.

"Sure, anything, are you alright?" Asked Tink.

Regina was usually never one to confess her true feelings. Her emotions were usually handled internally, or by a quick chit chat with her therapist. Though the issues she'd had back then, now seemed lesser in comparison. Now things were too much to bare, too much to push deeper into her heart. She needed to speak to someone she felt would understand, and who better than her best friend of ten years?

She sighed, releasing a breath she was not aware she was holding in.

"No, no I'm not. And, I promise I'll explain everything to you later. But for now, I need you to watch the kids for me. It'll just be for a few hours. If that's alright?" Asked Regina.

Tink could sense the trouble in her tone. Regina was never one to express anything bothering her openly, not even with her.

"Of course, yah no problem. I'll get dressed and be over in 10 minutes." She said.

"Thank you so much. I'll have them ready shortly." Said Regina as she ended the call.

Regina headed back to Romeo's room and smiled at the way he played with her. He really knew how to warm his mother's heart.

"Romeo, mommy has to take care of a few things today so you and your sister will be spending the day with aunt Tink." She said.

"Yay!" He yelled, jumping about.

Regina smiled.

"That eager to leave me?" She asked her boy.

"No mummy, but aunt Tink is so much fun!" He smiled.

"Well I'm glad. Come on we have to get you both dressed, she'll be here soon." Said Regina.

The next hour was spent with Regina struggling to get the both of her children ready alone. It wasn't easy being a single mother and tending to two children under the age of five. But she told herself she'd have to get used to it. Thankfully though, she was successful in getting both children clean, dressed, and packed to spend the day with Tink. And the best part was that Vivienne decided today would be the day not to give her trouble. Moments later the doorbell rang and Regina tied her robe closed. She swiftly ran to the door, both children at her side and smiled upon opening the door.

"Tink. Just in time." She smiled, moving to hug her dearest friend.

"Well I was worried, you sounded a bit stressed over the phone." She said.

Regina sighed, and kept a brave face.

"Aunt Tink!" Yelled Romeo.

"Hey big guy!" She smiled, lifting him in to her arms.

"Okay so, I packed breakfast, lunch and snacks in his back pack and he has some lounge clothes in there as well if he wants a nap. And all of Vivienne's stuff is in her baby bag, and there's a change of clothes in there in case she wets herself. Oh, and please try not to give them too much sugar." She asked, adding a small smile.

"Regina relax, they're in good hands. I will fulfill my god motherly duties and do my very best." She promised.

Regina followed her out to her car to give her their car seats. Once they were situated, Regina thanked Tink and gave her a hug. Her blonde friend got in the driver's side of the car and started the engine.

"Goodbye my treasures, mommy loves you both. I'll see you soon." Said Regina as she waved goodbye.

Within minutes they were gone and Regina was back inside with a cup of tea in hand with nothing but thoughts to keep her company. And as she decided not to wallow in them, she made her way to the master for a hot shower. She stood there, allowing the water to trickle down her back as she cupped the liquid to splash against her cheeks. When she'd finished she cleaned her teeth, dried herself off and changed into a comfortable lounge wear. Her hair was slicked back tightly into a high pony tail and her make up done lightly.

It was nearly ten in the morning now, and just as she'd walked down to her living room, a car made its way into the drive way. And there he suddenly was, making his way toward their front door, forcing his key through the hole and entering their home. Regina stood, folding her arms as he shut the door behind him. He wiped his feet over the welcome mat before the door and smiled.

"Regina." He said, clear distaste in his speech.

"Robin we need to talk."

"Okay, we can talk after I take a nap,"

"Now." She said, blocking the entry way to the stairs.

Robin simply smirked, it would take nothing for him to lift her out of his way, but he decided to entertain the idea that she had been an obstacle.

"There's nothing to say Regina. I've already told you all there is to know." He said leisurely.

"There is _plenty_ to say Robin. I'm giving you a chance to listen before this opportunity is gone." She said firmly.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Asked Robin.

"It means I want a divorce, and I'm taking my children with me." She stated boldly.

"Yeh, I dare you to try. And you're not taking my kids away from me bitch! Unless you want to take the risk and pay the consequences." He argued, his nose flaring in that way it did when he was angry.

Regina slapped him clean across the face and it took everything in his strength to resist hitting her back. He never really was one to hit a woman, not matter how bad the situation may have presented itself to be. Suddenly she felt a wave of nausea over take her and she ran upstairs to the bathroom to empty her stomach. Robin followed behind and held her hair back. She gagged and coughed up the last of what little she had last night and wiped her mouth.

"Don't touch me." She said, finding the strength to stand.

Robin let go of her and she went to the sink to wash her mouth out and clean her hands.

"What's going on?" Asked Robin as he crossed his arms.

"What are you talking about?" She asked.

"Don't play dumb with me Regina, you were throwing up yesterday night too." Robin said.

"I don't owe you an explanation of the latest news in my life Robin, just as you claim that you don't owe me one. But I will to let you in on some news…honey, what we had is over. I don't want to wake to see your sorry ass ever again. So do us both a favor and pack your things and leave." She said, though her last words were filled with hurt.

Robin stared at his wife, the strain in her eyes, the hurt across her lips. It was pain that his ill actions had caused. Believe it or not, his intentions were never to hurt her, but to teach her a valuable lesson. She was a neglector of their marriage and often made her career the forefront of their lives. But all Robin had ever wanted was her; her love, her time, her dedication to him. He wanted more than to steal a few kisses before bed, or a quick fuck before they were off to work. He wanted all of her, he wanted the woman he fell in love with back.

"You drove me to this Regina! I wanted us to be happy. I put our family first and that was never enough for you." Said Robin.

"Get out Robin."

"Regina you can't just-"

"GET OUT!" She yelled as she pushed him as many times as she could out of their bedroom.

He allowed her to of course, because fighting back would only upset her more.

She slammed the door in his face and Robin stood there, drowning in his own guilt. He too was hurting and needed an outlet to suppress the pounding in his heart. And so he drove for miles and miles, as he finally let himself cry. Eventually he stopped at a bar across the way from town and went inside. Robin plopped himself on a stool, his head in his hands as he sulked through his emotions.

"Rough day huh?" Asked the bar tender.

"Tell me about it." He sighed.

"What can I getcha?" He asked

"Bourben…make it a double." He answered.

Regina slid against her bedroom walls, finally allowing herself to get it all out. To scream, to cry, to do everything she'd wanted to do initially. She knocked down all her husband's things lining their elaborate dresser and even some of her own as she threw a childlike tantrum. All their wasted memories mocking her in elegant silver and gold frames. Picture to picture reminding her of the years before. She studied the man in those beautiful photos, and he was nothing like the man she now faced. A single tear fell onto a photo of their first date and a few more dropped onto the photo of them bringing home their son from the hospital.

He carried her all the way upstairs and waited on her for weeks after she'd given birth. And with their son, it was like something out of a fairytale. He was so patient, moving to his every cry. He was the most wonderful blessing any woman could have. Was. Though now all those pictures did was make her want to vomit, as if she wasn't doing enough of that lately. Regina took a deep breath and found the strength to stand once again. The brunette walked over to her mirror and wiped her tears.

"Be strong." She told herself.

"Y-you can do this without him." She nodded.

And then suddenly she was moving everything (well everything to mattered to her) back to their proper places. But Robin's things, they no longer needed to take up wasted space in their- no _her_ bedroom. Regina quickly moved to her basement to grab a suitable box to store his things. Besides, seeing them in open view would be only make things worse, a constant reminder of his absence. She would not have that. She would not have her children wondering, questioning what they didn't understand. No, Regina was going to be honest with both of her children. Daddy, had to leave and there would be no exception to that.

This wasn't going to be easy, but then again if life were easy she'd be celebrating what should have been a joyous time for them. Regina had first attributed her nausea to stress with work and a bug that had been apparently going around. But she'd been pregnant twice before, and the tenderness in her breasts clarified everything. Yes. She was pregnant with her third child. A child she wasn't sure her husband would even care about. But she was sure of one thing, she wasn't going to give him the opportunity to even do so. This baby was the final piece she'd ever have of him. She didn't know how much longer she'd be able to keep it from him. Robin might have make many stupid decisions, but he was no idiot. And unfortunately for her, he payed very close attention to details.

The timing was terrible and there was no doubt about that, but if there was one thing Robin and Regina did well together, it was making beautiful children. Regina untied her robe, her milky skin covered with the sheer black night gown. She lowered her hand to her abdomen, gently grazing over the area where a small baby grew.

"Mommy loves you so much already. I'm sorry you had to hear all of that. But don't you worry, I promise, things will be much better soon enough." She said.

A million questions began to sore through her head. How would she raise three children all on her own? How would she even get through this pregnancy with two other children. It was already a challenge, and she was taking things day by day. This whole bravery thing was hard, smiling when all you want to do is cry, laughing when all you want to do is lash out in anger. It wasn't healthy, not at all. Regina knew the more stress she was in, the more she put upon her baby. It was time she started to taking things into her own hands. Mother always said, "weakness was beneath her" and she was right.

Taking charge was the only way Regina was going to be able to protect her children, to protect herself. She's made her decision, suddenly things had become easier once she'd removed herself from the equation. She was no longer doing anything for herself, but for the three lives that depended on her.


	3. Chapter 3

The Adulterer

Chapter 3

"Moving On"

Time: 2:15PM

Place: The Locksley Residence

Destination: Starbucks

A few weeks had gone by after she'd told Robin to leave. And in the weeks that past, Regina was an emotional wreck. This was all too much for one woman to handle alone. There were two small children who craved her attention, a home that needed tending to, a book that needed publishing, and on top of that, a growing baby who needed to thrive. She also hadn't eaten a full meal in days. The mere sight of food made her want to vomit. But unfortunately for Regina, vomiting happened very frequently throughout her first two pregnancies and with her luck, it was bound to happen again.

The brunette eased from sleep as she turned toward her alarm clock.

10:42AM.

She yawned and pulled the covers from her shoulders. As her feet came to rest on the carpeted floor, she steadied herself. There was mild dizziness and slight pain in her head, but for the first time in weeks, there had been no nausea. And thank god for it, because she never thought she'd see the end of that damn toilet bowl. Regina took a deep breath and walked toward the staircase as she held tight to the railing. A clashing of dishes could be heard from the kitchen as the faucet ran and the sound of laughing children echoed in the halls. She entered the room and sighed moving toward the bar stool as she took a seat.

"Mother, I thought I told you to wake me up at nine this morning." She said, her voice still heavy with sleep.

"Oh, Regina stop, you and I both know you needed the rest. I can handle the children's breakfast and a few dirty dishes." Said Cora.

Regina's mother decided it would be best if she'd come to stay with them for a while. Cora was shocked to have heard of Robin's affair. It was so unlike him to do something so disrespectful. But truth be told, it wasn't as if she was actively involved in her daughter's life to have realized the signs. Cora and Regina never really did have a close relationship. They'd gone their separate ways in her teenage years and only recently rekindled their alliance. Though that was to be expected. They didn't have much of anything in common and Regina didn't exactly feel as though her mother understood her. After all, it wasn't as if she was present during most of her childhood. Though, she supposed she owed it to her children to have their grandmother in their lives.

Regina relaxed her naturally tensed muscles and gave a small smile. Suddenly there was a plate of dried toast and a glass of OJ before her.

"Oh I'm not—" She began.

"Eat. You have to, baby needs you to." Said Cora, slipping a piece of her own toast between her lips.

She gave her stomach a small rub and kissed her daughter's head. Regina rolled her eyes as she flinched at the sudden sign of affection. I guess that was one more thing she'd have to add to her list of "things to get used to".

"MUMMY!" Yelled Romeo as he ran into the kitchen. Vivienne followed behind her brother, a smile mirroring his own.

"Hi guys. Good Morning." She smiled, running her hands through Romeo's dirty blonde locks. She could just hear Robin now, asking her when she'd cut it. She wonders if that's why she hasn't, or if it's simply because she likes the length of her son's hair. Regardless, it was going to remain the way it was because after all she was his mother. And the greatest part of having that role was being able to call all the shots. Besides, making her husband even more aggravated was a plus.

 _Ugh. Her husband._

The thought made her want to cringe and cry at the same time. But no, she had to be strong. She wouldn't give into heartache, or shed a single tear more. No. She's better than that and weakness is beneath her. She is going to squander this headache of a situation and do her best to move on. He'd made his bed, and now he was going to lie in it.

"Umm…mummy, guess what? I maded a turkey in class for thanksgiving and its from my hand!" He said, growing quite excited.

She could always count on her children to distract her from the reality of her sad life. But truthfully, she didn't know what she'd do without them. They were currently the only two people getting her through this, and they had not a clue of what was going on.

Romeo's preschool had just begun doing holiday crafts for the season. In October things were Halloween themed. The class had all colored pumpkins with holes punched at the tops for yarn to lace through. Romeo was the only one who insisted on making his pumpkin rainbow colored. But Regina loved it anyway. It gave way to his creative side and she was more proud of him for it. Though this month's holiday was Thanksgiving and the children were assigned to make little hand turkeys. Romeo's had multicolored feathers and the cutest little smiley face that matched his own. She pinched her son's chubby cheek and leaned down to give him a kiss.

"You made a turkey. Not maded. And I love it baby. You did such a good job." She said.

Romeo made a face, clearly in disagreement.

"Remember mummy, I'm not a baby, I'm a big boy. I sleep in my own bed." He reminded.

Regina smiled wide and cupped his chin in her palm.

"Yes, you are. And you're growing up a bit too fast for my liking." She sighed.

The boy handed his mother his creation and ran off to play with his toys. He had a ton of energy and as uncomfortable as it felt to have her mother breathing down her neck all the time, she was happy to have her to look after him. Cora held tight to Vivienne who was quickly dozing off on her shoulder. Her small lips forming the shape of an "o" as she rubbed her eyes. She often woke early in the mornings and fell back to sleep after a full breakfast. But the fun began all over again when noon hit. Somehow by that time she was fully rested and recharged.

Thankfully for now, Regina had some time to relax. She needed to regain some of her strength and feel more like herself again. But the first step toward doing so was getting down the dry toast in front of her. So, Regina finished off the rest of her breakfast and took slow sips of her orange juice. Then she relieved the remaining crumbs from her plate and placed it into the sink.

…..

Meanwhile, things for Robin had been going south. It hadn't taken Liza very long to realize their so called "relationship" was a failure. But it was hardly a loss for her. Liza had much going for her: she was young, thin, beautiful, and had the most amazing pair of legs. But Robin, he had baggage. He had two children (and a third on the way unbeknownst to him) and now a complicated marriage. He knew the road to recovery from this point on wouldn't be easy, if even existent. But he still had a chance to try and make things right. He just had to find the right words to say to his wife.

The problem was he wasn't dealing with just any woman. He was dealing with Regina Mills; _the_ most complex woman to ever walk the earth.

TRANSLATION: If Robin thinks he'll be able to win his wife back by a few "I'm sorry's", he's just as much the idiot as he proved to be.

"So..how ya' doin' mate?" asked Will.

Will had been Robin's best mate since their school days in England. When Robin found out he'd come to the states on a visa, he saw an opportunity to rekindle their friendship. He got Will a starter job at the local bar he visited and he'd worked his way from bussing to tending. Though Robin was surprised that his friend had managed to keep the job given his history of quitting. He never really was one to be responsible, though Robin guessed he was trying to piece his life together.

Robin sipped his half-filled glass of Bourbon and gave a refreshing sigh.

"as good as can be expected Will…"

His tone was filled with sarcasm. He was frustrated, no doubt. And his friend wasn't exactly making things better by asking him to relive it all again.

"So, what? You're just going to sit here feeling sorry for yourself?" asked Will.

Will moved to dry the damp bar glasses to place on the drying racks. Then he took a few orders for drinks to pour as he waited for a response from Robin.

"Well if you've got a better idea, please by all means enlighten me."

Robin huffed and took a deep breath. This was ridicules. What did Will know about marriage anyway? He'd never even been in a serious relationship for that matter. He was the "hit it and quit it" type and pigs would fly before that changed. Robin shook his head at the thought. As if he had the right to judge his actions as though he wasn't a neglector of relationships.

"Yah as a matter of fact I do. Call her. Apologize. And then beg her to take your ass back."

"Do you really think it would be that simple?" Asked Robin.

After all, this was Regina they were talking about.

"Well you won't know if you don't try, now will you?" He asked.

"Will, I know I messed up, but she needs time to digest everything. Things are too complicated." Said Robin.

"So uncomplicate them. Your making this harder than it need be mate. You forget, I know Regina and I know she's in love with you. You both have two children together, small children at that, who need you. Go to her." Said Will.

He just didn't understand all the damage that had already been created. To beg for forgiveness now would seem weak, maybe even unmeaningful. Robin knew his wife and she would demand way more than a measly apology. He had to think smart, be two steps ahead of what she would expect.

"Alright. I'll call her, but if she hangs up that's it." Said Robin.

He pressed the contact which held her name and waited for his wife to answer.

….

Cora put Vivienne down for a nap and came to collect Romeo for the same. He'd always managed to give his mother difficulty when doing so, but for grandma, he'd do just about anything. Regina rolled her eyes and told herself it could only be because of the cookies she'd promised him when he'd woke. But even still, it bothered her how easy mothering came to her, especially since she was absent for much of Regina's childhood. But she wasn't going to waste a minute pondering about the past. It had no relevance to now anyway and besides, she was helping after all wasn't she?"

Cora returned moments later to see Regina in one of her stress cleaning fits. This woman couldn't take a break if her life depended on it.

"Oh, for Christs sake Regina, just call him. He's your husband, not some teenage boy your crushing on." Said Cora.

Regina gave her a look that meant, "bud out". But she was right, in fact she was spot on. The lack of sleep wasn't a direct result of nausea (although it did help), it was because he wasn't there to curl up next to her. And sure, her hormones were a bit heightened (and they had every right to be), but could constant urges to punch him really pass a pregnancy symptom? She did miss him though. She missed him like crazy. But she wasn't stupid enough to allow her emotions to get the best of her any longer. She had her children to think about, they were her priority and she would not allow anymore hurt to come to them.

Regina's cell phone began to vibrate against the kitchen counter. She walked toward the buzzing device and froze. He'd beaten her to it. The brunette began to feel a pull in her stomach and she held herself. She always had when she was upset. Cora knew exactly who was on the other end of phone; she could tell by the look in her daughter's eyes.

"Well aren't you going to answer it?" She asked.

Regina took a deep breath and tried to relax her nerves. Why was she so nervous? It wasn't as if she hadn't spoken to him thousands of times before. Though she reminded herself that the thousands of other times had been when they were in love. This was different. They hadn't spoken civilly in weeks and she was in no mood to deal with another argument. But what if something bad had happened? What if this was an emergency? If something ever happened to him, Regina would never forgive herself if she knew she could have prevented it. It most likely wasn't an emergency though. If her feelings were correct, he was probably calling to press her on moving back in, which was out of the question. The brunette woman rolled her eyes and decided to ignore her assumptions. She pulled herself together as she grabbed her phone and pressed answer.

"Hello?" She asked, bracing herself.

"Regina, you finally answered, I-I've been trying to reach you for days —" came his voice.

Regina folded her arms and sighed with a role to her eyes. And although he couldn't see anything, he imagined her doing that exact thing.

"What do you want Robin?" she asked.

Regina walked over to the living room and sat slowly on the couch. She swallowed thickly, tension returning to her aching muscles as she heard on.

"Listen I really need to see you. It's important, is there any way we could meet somewhere to talk?" He asked.

A single tear skid along her cheeks as she clenched her teeth in quiet anger. Her body stiffened as her mind replayed his actions on that horrible night. How he made her feel like nothing. How he made her feel worthless, as if she wasn't the woman he chose to spend the rest of his life with.

"The last time we spoke, I fell out of favor with your face. I have no intention of seeing it anytime soon."

"I understand you're angry but—"

"You have no idea how I feel, nor do you have any idea what you've put our children through!" She spat.

Robin paused. He never meant to hurt his children or even his wife for that matter. He wanted her to understand his pain, to teach her a lesson. He never meant for things to come to this.

"Regina I know I'm not exactly your favorite person right, but we do need to talk." He said, clutching the phone in his hand a bit tighter.

Regina gave a shaky sigh and held her head before she spoke into the phone. There was nothing to talk about. He chose a life of filth instead of accepting the love of his family. Were they simply not enough for him to be happy? Was the taste of temporary sin so fulfilling? Regina didn't even want to think of the answers. What had become of the man she loved? A man once kind and compassionate let arrogance rule his heart, and now here he was, a beggar at the mercy of his wife's word.

"Give me one reason as to why I should even consider it?" She asked.

"Because this isn't about us, it's about our children." He said.

He did want to discuss their children but his main reason for calling was to see his wife. He wanted to make amends and work this mess of a situation out. Though he knew it wouldn't be that simple. Robin knew that even if they had rekindled their relationship, he'd have to build their trust all over again. It wouldn't be easy, but he had to try as Will suggested.

She sighed and tugged her bottom lips in thought.

"You have exactly ten minutes to meet me at Starbucks. I won't wait for you so be on time." She said, abruptly ending the call.

Robin smiled as he set his phone into his jacket pocket and stood to his feet. His friend lifted his head as he buffed the bar tables with polish.

"I take it she said yes?" asked Will.

"Barely, but we are to meet at Starbucks in ten minutes." He smiled.

"See, what did I tell you mate? I knew she'd come around."

"Thank you…for your advice I mean. I owe you." Said Robin as he gave a nod.

"Anytime, that's what friends are for. And you don't owe me anything. Just go get your wife back mate." He said.

"I should go. I'll let you know how it went as soon as it's over." Said Robin.

He headed for the bar exit and ran to his car. The ride to the coffee shop was a short five minutes away. He just prayed to the heavens there'd be available parking.

….

Cora came into the living room with folded arms.

"What did he say?" Cora asked.

"He wants to meet with me to talk." She sighed.

"And you said yes I hope." She encouraged.

Regina huffed and picked at the frilling fabric on her silk robe.

"Yes. But the minute something stupid comes out of his mouth I'm leaving."

Cora smirked and shook her head. It wasn't so long ago that she was so much like her daughter.

"Regina I understand you are feeling hurt and betrayed, as would any woman in your situation. But you owe it to your children and yourself to give him a chance."

Regina stood as she flared her nose in anger.

"I don't owe him anything mother! My children will be loved and cared for with or without their father in their lives. I'm prepared to make sure of it." She said, making her way to her bedroom.

Regina closed her door and walked over to her closet. The only reason she was even going was to speak about their plans for their children. Robin may have been unfaithful to her but he was a good father to their kids. She could tell her children missed their father's presence in their home and she wouldn't be the one to take them away from him. Regina searched through her clothes and decided on a simple black turtle neck, high waisted leggings, and knee high black boots. She brushed her hair back into a high pony tail and applied minimal makeup to liven her skin. When she'd finished she made her way back downstairs to her living space to find Romeo clutching his blanket.

"Hey monkey!" She smiled, lifting him into her arms as she kissed his forehead.

He eased into her touch and sucked his thumb.

"Oh honey, your warm." She said, feeling for a fever.

Regina immediately took him to the bathroom to grab his thermometer.

"Oh don't even think about it…" Said Cora.

"He's sick mother, and he needs me to take care of him."

"I've got him." She said, taking Romeo from her arms.

"Your mother has a coffee date with daddy." She said, kissing her grandson's cheek.

"It's nowhere near a date." She spat.

And she would have voiced much more had Romeo not been there. She could hardly stomach the thought of him much less anything remotely close to that.

"I only agreed to meet with him so that we can discuss the children." She clarified.

Cora simply smiled.

"Go, I've got things covered here." She said.

"Okay lemme say goodbye." She said.

Regina leaned in to place a few dozen exaggerated kisses to her son's cheek and hugged him tightly.

"Mummy loves you so much. I'll be back soon, I promise." She said, handing him back.

And with that, she grabbed her coat and purse as she made her way out the door.

…

Had his palms really been sweating this badly? He was only going to meet with his wife. Yet she wasn't just his wife. She was the woman he betrayed, lied to, and hurt, all because of his stupid intentions. He would have never gone through with it had he known things would get this bad. He grabbed a few napkins in the center of his table and dried his damp hands. He closed his eyes and tried to imagine things in a better light. He reverted to a memory of his, one of which was so very special to him to help ease his mind.

 _Flashback to two years' prior_

 _Tink hurried to the door upon hearing it ring and smiled as she answered._

" _Well? How is she?" Asked Tink, referring to her dear friend Regina._

" _Tired, but recovering. The doctor says everything went beautifully." Said Robin._

" _Oh, that's wonderful! Come in, I'll let Romeo know you're here." She smiled._

 _Tink left to retrieve the boy from the play area she'd set up for him and grabbed his belongings._

" _Romeo guess what? Your daddy's here." She cooed as the two-year-old smiled brightly._

 _Romeo ran over toward the front door and grinned upon seeing his father's face._

" _Hallo monkey!" Robin lifted his son into his arms._

 _He placed a small kiss to the boy's cheek and ran a hand through his dirty blonde hair. Tink handed Robin his buzz light year themed rucksack and gave him a kiss._

" _Are you ready to go meet your sister?" Asked Robin._

 _He nodded and gave a reassuring smile._

" _Thank you again for keeping an eye on him for us. Oh, and we'd love for you to come to the hospital during visiting hours to meet her." Said Robin_

" _I'd love that. I can't wait!" Tink gave them each hugs and bid them on their way._

" _Now go. I'll be by later." She promised._

 _Robin strapped his son into his car seat and handed him his juice cup. He took a short fifteen-minute drive back to the hospital as he told his boy all about his new sister. Although Robin was sure he wasn't very sure of who this "sister" person was. They'd tried to explain to him that the baby in mummy's tummy was going to be there soon, but Romeo was too small to understand what a baby really was._

 _They parked and made their way into the maternity ward where his wife had been staying. Room 215A. Robin entered the room with Romeo in his arms and he immediately got excited to see his mother._

" _Hi baby!" Said Regina as she motioned for her son._

" _Romeo be gentle with mummy alright." Robin warned._

 _He placed his son on the hospital bed aside his wife and removed his strap on sneakers._

 _The baby lay sleeping quietly aside the hospital bed in her glass bassinette._

 _Robin moved to sanitize and dry his hands._

" _Robin bring her over here." Said Regina._

 _He grabbed their precious baby from her bassinette, making sure to hold her head as he looked down at how beautiful she was. Robin had truly never seen something so gorgeous in his life. She was an exact replica of his wife with the sweetest lips and darkest hair. He placed his daughter in his wife's arms and watched as she eased into her mother's warmth._

" _Romeo this is your sister, Vivienne."_

 _End of Flash_

Robin smiled to himself as he reminisced about happier times. And then, suddenly there she was. Robin could only stare, she looked as beautiful as she always had. Only then had he truly realized how much he missed her. Robin stood to his feet to pull out her chair but she immediately stopped him.

"Don't. I'm more than capable of pulling out a chair." She said, her mood already altered.

Robin sat back down and tried to loosen up.

" _Come on idiot, say something to her."_ He thought.

"Speak. You have twenty minutes." Said Regina as she crossed every limb she could.

But Robin continued to stare at her with the heaviest of eyes, his yearning look, obvious.

"You're so beautiful, you know that?" He said, recognizing how bright and healthy her skin looked.

"Save it. You're the last person I want to hear compliments from. I agreed to come here to discuss the children, not to listen to you try and win me back."

"And we will discuss the children, but I want to talk about us first."

"There is no us, not anymore, not ever." She said coldly.

"Oh, I find that very hard to believe love." Robin said.

"Don't flatter yourself. I could replace you whenever I want."

Robin sipped his coffee and folded his hands, the smallest of smirks appeared on his lips. She always did have a challenging tongue.

"Don't you understand that the mere fact that you're pushing me away is an indication of your feelings for me?"

Regina scoffed and rolled her eyes. She might have even laughed if it wasn't so inconvenient.

"You obviously don't know me as well as you think."

"We've been married nine years, together for thirteen. I know you better than you know yourself. I know that you still love me Regina." Said Robin.

"The only thing I feel toward you is regret. If I had known our marriage would come to this I never would have chosen you to father my children."

"Oh yeh? Then why are you still wearing the ring I gave you?" He asked.

Regina went to answer, but froze to look down at her hand. The light flickered against the huge diamond as she read the encryption along the band.

"Ever thine, Ever mine, Ever ours."

She hadn't read it in months. But now that she had it was like bringing back the pain of losing him all over again. When she looked up at Robin her eyes were filled with tears, she could no longer hold her tears back. She silently thanked her baby for kicking her emotions into override. Regina got up from her chair and grabbed her purse as she headed for the door.

"Regina wait!" Called Robin as he passed through the line of customers. He quickly caught up to her as they got to the parking lot. He grabbed her arm, holding her in his grasp.

"Let go of me!" She said, slapping his hand away.

"Why do you still wear it?" He asked again.

"Because you gave it to me and its mine!" She yelled, defending herself.

Robin softened his grip on her arm and smiled.

"Was that so hard to admit?"

"Go to hell." She barked.

Regina walked toward her car but Robin pulled her back, only this time the handle on her purse wasn't so agreeable. Her grip loosened around her bag and it fell to the floor. A few items scattered the ground and Robin quickly moved to grab them before they rolled under cars. He spotted a pill bottle a few inches from where it fell and read the prescription.

It read: "Prenatal Vitamins: Take one daily to completion and refill until 40 weeks"

Regina's eyes widened and she quickly tried to take them from him. Robin pulled away and lifted his arm out of her reach.

"Regina what the hell is this?" Asked Robin.

She narrowed her eyes in his direction.

"It's candy genius, now give it back." She said, holding out her hand.

Robin swallowed thickly as his eyes fell to his wife's. Regina looked both guilty and frustrated which could only mean she was hiding something.

"Are you pregnant?" He asked.

Robin had fathered enough children to know enough about pregnancy. How could he be so stupid. The signs were everywhere; the puking and the alluring glow she had, he should have known. Robin silently kicked himself for not realizing sooner.

"Tell me." He said, moving closer.

"I think you've interrogated me enough for one day. Now give me back my candy, so I can drive home in peace." She yelled.

Robin smirked and tried to remember he was angry.

"Do you really expect me to believe this is candy?" He asked, inching closer to her.

Regina avoided his eyes and stepped backward.

"Why didn't you tell me? How could you keep this from me?"

"You kept your secrets, I kept mine." She admitted.

"When did this happen, how long, when did you find out?"

"I'm nine weeks on Monday." She said.

Robin thought back to nine weeks before and remembered exactly what they'd been doing. He raised his brows and smirked.

"Mm, the hot tub up at the lodge." He said, biting his lips.

"Well enjoy your memories baby, because that's the only thing you're ever going to have of me again.

"Ouch. That one hurt like a bitch babe." He said, holding his heart.

She rolled her eyes and walked toward her car as her heels clicked against the ground. Robin continued to follow her as she unlocked the SUV. He got into the passenger side and turned on the seat warmers.

"Get out of my car." She said simply.

"You mean the car I signed a 36-month lease for and pay for monthly?" He reminded.

"What the hell do you want from me?!" She asked.

"We haven't finished our talk."

"I'm done talking. I want to go home and eat in the comfort of my bed without you breathing down my neck."

"I want to see my kids."

"Fine, I'll arrange a day sometime next week for them to see you, now get out."

"That's not enough. I want to come back home.

"Well too bad! You don't get to have the best of both worlds Robin! You did this, you broke what we had! I have spent the last day crying over spilt milk. And I am certainly not going to let you bully me into coming back home. Now get out of the car before I call the police and file a restraining order on your ass!" She warned said.

Robin got the message loud and clear. His wife had no desire to see him, let alone speak to him.

"I know I may never be back in your favor, but just know that I will never stop loving you." He said as he made his way out of the car.

Regina's heart began to beat uncontrollably. She cursed herself for feeling effected by his words but how could she not. He was still her husband regardless of everything and well, maybe she didn't hate him as much as she thought she had. She was carrying his child, a child their love made. There was literally another part of him inside her, which made things that much more complicated. All this stress couldn't have been very good for their baby, and it certainly wasn't making her feel any better.

This was the final straw. She needed to do something about this, and quickly. She tried to talk as he suggested and where had it gotten her? Nowhere. But she had learned something quite valuable, sometimes, actions really did speak louder than words.


	4. Chapter 4

Hallo Everyone! Back with another update! Now I need you all to trust me on this, things will eventually get better. You just have to be patient and work with me. I also want to point out a possible error, Romeo is five years old and he is in kindergarten, for some reason I said he was in preschool but that isn't true. I thank you all for your comments and I hope you guys continue to read!

Xoxo,

Brienne

…

The Adulterer

Chapter 4

"Decisions, Decisions"

Time: 10:00 AM

Place: The Locksley's Residence

Destination: Single Mother of Three

Two weeks earlier…

Robin sipped his morning coffee as he eased into his office chair. Mondays always meant long work hours and incompetent clients. He'd ring in close to anywhere between eight to ten new clients a week, which meant constant work flow and constant cash. He flipped through a handful of cases he'd been given for the day and decided to start with those who owed him money. He began with Mr. Panitch, a client of his suing an auto body repair shop for selling him bad car parts. Robin had given him a call, though he hadn't bothered to answer. He checked his watch for the time. It was half past eleven and surely, he'd be up by now. But it was no coincidence that his clients could talk his ear off with their bullshit stories, but never came forth in paying for his services.

"Asshole." Said Robin, giving into obvious frustration.

He forced himself to take a deep breath and move on to the next call, when suddenly he was interrupted. Two knocks were then heard at his office door. Robin looked toward his office entrance and sighed. It was just his assistant, Emma. And not much to his surprise, she came with that sympathy look. What could it be this time? Robin really wasn't in the mood to hear excuses from her or anyone else this morning. Not with all the crap he had been dealing with lately. She held what looked to be a few pieces of mail in her hand and what Robin conceived to be a package of some sort.

"I'm sorry sir is this a bad time?" She asked.

The blonde woman came forth, stepping slowly into his office as if to take cautionary measures. Her hair was tied up in a perfectly rounded bun and her pencil skirt framed the outer lining of her hips. Robin could tell she had a great body underneath those conservative clothes, but as a married man, thinking about that wouldn't have helped his case if he was trying to win his wife back. That's right, his wife. His very beautiful, _pregnant_ wife who needed him, even though it hadn't seemed as so.

 _Focus!_

He shook those tempting thoughts from his head and tried to concentrate on what she'd been saying. Emma could tell by the look in his eyes that there had been something different, a hint of frustration.

"I'm sorry, what?" Asked Robin.

"I was just wondering…you know what, never mind I'll come back later."

"No, no what is it Emma?" He asked, collecting himself.

He set the documents he forgot he'd been holding aside and gave her his full attention. Robin owed her at least that. After all, the flood of thoughts bombarding his mind just seconds before probably wouldn't have been flattering had she heard them. But thankfully she couldn't read minds. It still had Robin feeling a bit guilty for even thinking of his assistant in _that way_. He shouldn't be thinking of any woman beside his wife in _that way_.

"Well I have your mail from the mail room. And I wanted to remind you to pay your office rent. Mrs. Lucas wants all checks in by no later than 5pm this evening. And oh, this package came for you." She said, handing him the yellow packaging.

Robin looked over the package and carefully read the labeling.

"Law Offices of Hopper & Goldstein"

He eagerly opened the seal to reveal a packet of freshly organized documents.

Shit.

"Emma get my lawyer on the phone." Said Robin.

She nodded and quickly made her way to her desk where she dialed his lawyer.

Robin balled his hands into a fist and tried to keep himself calm but his method of self-control wasn't working much in his favor. He picked up his office phone, dialed his home number, and waited for an answer.

…..

She hadn't written in weeks.

This was completely unlike her. Writers block had never lasted this long, and when it had happened in the past, it always eventually cleared up. Over the years, Regina completed four bestselling novels dedicated to helping woman find love. Ironic, it would seem, since she was sure her marriage was ending in shambles. Though as she sat on her couch, her feet rested on the other end, she began to brainstorm.

LOVE….

And then she backspaced.

She couldn't do this. Not when things had been so bad in her own love life. She suddenly felt like a hypocrite. Because after all, who would ever trust the advice of a woman whose marriage ended in failure? Her entire life afterward would be a sad joke. Unless, she could somehow change the fate of her life. Maybe it didn't have to end in failure if she could make it a success. Love didn't always have to be found in the heart of another, did it? Perhaps internal love and internal acceptance could be just as satisfying? And then suddenly, it hit her. It occurred to Regina just what type of book she wanted to write. And so, she began.

 _Meanwhile somewhere in the Locksley Home…_

"Hallo?" asked Romeo.

"Hey Monkey, its daddy." Said Robin.

"DADDY! When are you coming home?" He asked.

Robin's heart clenched as he listened to his son. He missed his children more than anything and needed to see them. But with this whole mess of a situation only growing more complicated, he had a feeling things would amount to him possibly not seeing his children for a while. The mere thought shook him to the core. But he had to tell his son something and he didn't want to lie to him.

"I'm not sure buddy, but I do miss you, and I can't wait to see you." Said Robin.

"I miss you too daddy and I think mummy does too. She cries a lot because you're gone." Said Romeo.

"I know…" Robin sighed, but continued.

"Could you put mummy on the phone for me?" Robin asked.

"Okay, hold on." Said Romeo.

….

Regina hadn't gotten in three full pages before the phone was ringing. Though when it suddenly stopped she hadn't even bothered to wonder who had answered it or who it was. She had been too engaged in her writing to be distracted by her surroundings, all else had become background noise.

The five-year-old ran over to his mum and tapped her leg. He handed her their home phone and ran off to play.

"Hello?" Asked Regina, as she set her laptop aside.

"Sweetheart, I'm going to ask you this once and I'm asking that you seriously think about your answer before giving it. Did you, or did you not send me divorce papers?" Asked Robin as he eased further into his office chair.

"I sure did babe." Said Regina, a satisfying smirk forming on her lips.

"Well I'm sorry honey but if you think I'm signing these papers you must be delusional."

"Well Robin I don't believe you have a choice. So why don't you just do us both a favor and sign the damn papers?" She asked.

"Have your lawyers come to my office and we'll settle this. Until then, I refuse to sign anything." He said.

"Lawyer or no lawyer, I've made my decision. I want this divorce." She said, though the stutter in her voice made it seem a tad unbelievable.

"My office, 9am, tomorrow morning. Don't be late." Said Robin, as he ended the call.

This was just great, as if she wasn't stressing enough about getting this book completed. She thought for sure Robin would at least save her the trouble of complications to ending their relationship. But then again, she shouldn't really have been surprised. Robin had a history of disappointing her.

…

Robin needed to clear his head. He just couldn't focus on helping his clients when he felt like a victim himself. If he had realized that minor fling he had with Liza would end in him divorcing his wife, he would have never gone through with it. But what happened, happened, and there was no way to take it back.

So there, in that moment, Robin did what any reasonable, strong, sophisticated man would do. He through a fit of rage. And unfortunately, it didn't end so well for the sixteen files on his desk and the shiny pen holder he'd gotten from an old colleague for Christmas. He balled his fists in anger, except it was entirely directed at himself. This was all his doing and he hated himself for it. If he had only been a better man, a man committed to the vows he took, this would have never happened. Had he done that, he would be packing to go home in a matter of hours to see his family, and the mess he created in his office would certainly not exist.

But instead, it did. And now he was here, in an angry fit, feeling completely bloody sorry for himself like some pathetic child. But who else could possibly excuse his actions. They were unacceptable and in many eyes, unforgivable. He just hoped that the eyes that mattered would choose to forgive him.

…..

"Look who just woke up from her nap!" Cora gasped.

She held Vivienne in her arms and kissed her head as she gently rubbed her back. The two-year- old reached for her mother as a smile filled her face.

"Hey Viv, how are you my cheeky girl?" Asked Regina.

The brunette embraced her daughter as she rested her head against her chest.

"Are you hungry?" She asked, her voice gentle against the child's ear.

Vivienne nodded and blinked sleepily as she adjusted to the light.

"Hey, who was that on the phone? I heard you talking to someone." Asked Cora.

Regina's eyes wandered, avoiding the specific ones belonging to her mother. Did mother always have to be so nosy? This woman was on point with everything. And there was no point in even lying to her because she was bound to figure things out sooner or later. That woman was sharp on her game, and she sure as hell didn't take bull shit fibs.

Regina sighed. "It was ugh, Robin."

"Robin? And what did he say?" She asked, making herself a spot aside her daughter on the couch.

Regina was really going to have to get used to her mother being so involved in her life. It was making her anxious and uncomfortable. At first she thought the effort her mother was showing was a bit forced, but then she made it clear to her only months before that she wanted to be consistent. And somehow, they ended up having a conversation about Cora playing a significant role in her children's life; which ultimately led to her mother breathing down her neck on a regular basis.

"Mother, I know your concerned about me but, I'd really rather not talk about it." She said.

Regina stood to her feet, balancing her daughter on her hip as she moved to the kitchen to make lunch.

"Oh come on, you can talk to me. Don't you trust me?" She asked.

"Yes, mother, I trust you, I just…I just need a little space, okay?" Regina replied.

The brunette set a pan on the stove and set her toddler in her highchair. She decided to grill some left over chicken breasts with a few oven-roasted red potatoes. Then she made a plate for herself and a small one for Vivienne. Romeo however, settled for the usual peanut butter and jelly sandwich with his vanilla milk. At least he wasn't as complicated as his father. Regina just hoped he'd remain the way he was: handsome and well behaved.

Cora nodded. "Alright then, maybe it's time I leave you be for a few days whilst you enjoy your space, mom free."

"Mother I didn't mean to offend you I just—" Regina began.

"I've heard you loud and clear and I get it." Said Cora, cutting in.

Regina sighed and shook her head. She did not need the added stress of her mother being immature. Wasn't it bad enough her husband was doing that? And besides, it wasn't as if she was asking the world of the woman, she just wanted a little space. Cora walked off, clearly aggravated by the situation. Though Regina chose to stay put. There was no sense in trying to fix something her mother already felt she resolved. After all, when Regina never got the last word in any conversation they had, and her mother was always right.

She finished spoon feeding her daughter, who looked to be enjoying her meal. Her children were always a great distraction, and well, they always seemed to cheer her up when she was feeling vulnerable. Vivienne clapped happily at every bite as she chewed.

"Is it good?" She asked.

"Yeh ma-ma." She smiled, grapping the spoon in her mother's hand.

Apparently, Regina wasn't moving fast enough and the chicken and potatoes on that spoon was late for the party in her mouth. Romeo smiled at his sister, eating his own food as he suddenly began to realize someone was missing. He had been missing for quite some time now and it was finally starting to sink in.

"Mummy, why is daddy not here anymore?" He asked, taking another bite.

Oh god. She knew this was coming, except she couldn't exactly get out of this like she did with her mother. This was her son and he deserved to know the truth. She didn't have to give him every single detail but the short PG version would suffice.

"Well, Romeo, the truth is. Daddy did something that made mommy very upset and because of that, daddy had to sit in time out. But instead of doing his time out at home, he's doing his time out at Uncle Will's house." She explained.

"When is daddy going to be out of time out?" He asked.

"I don't know, there's a chance he may never get out of time out, but he will still be able to see you both." She promised.

"But I want daddy now." He begged, growing teary eyed.

It pained Regina to see her son so hurt. He clearly missed his father and it had been a while since he had come to see his children. Perhaps she could make an exception after the meeting the following day, if things went well anyway. Hopefully he could refrain from being a complete ass hole for more than an hour, for Romeo's sake at the least.

"Well, daddy can't come right this second, but how about if I ask him if wants to see you both tomorrow?" She asked.

"Yay!" He smiled, growing excited.

"Sounds like a plan?" Asked Regina.

Romeo nodded and gave her a hug as she wiped away his lingering tears. Then they finished their lunch and the kids played with their toys in the playroom whilst Regina went to find her mother.

Cora was upstairs in the guest room packing the rest of her things in a duffle when Regina entered.

"Mother I—" Regina began.

"Don't worry, I'm going. I'm just packing the last of my things."

Cora grabbed the last few of her sweaters and trousers to pack as she zipped her travel bag. It took everything for Regina to stay calm and resist rolling her eyes. Her mother always was one for dramatics. But, she supposed she should give her mother the respect of expressing her feelings.

"That won't be necessary mother." Said Regina.

The brunette took her mother's hand and gave her a sympathetic squeeze.

"I'm sorry if I somehow made you feel unwelcome, mother. But the truth is, I'm very stressed. Everything with Robin has been making me feel completely vulnerable and I'm not used to feeling like a victim. I help others with their problems all the time and somehow when it comes to my own…" She paused, though the tears began to rush to her eyes.

"Oh Regina don't cry." Said Cora, as she embraced her daughter.

"I was wrong. You are entitled to take all the time you need to deal with this. If anything I should be a part of the solution not the problem..." She said.

"…think you can forgive me?" She asked, breaking their embrace.

Regina simply nodded and welcomed the comfort of her mother's arms once more. It was moments like this that she needed. She needed to feel loved, especially when she was about to end her marriage.

"Thank you, mother. I love you." Said Regina.

"And I love you." Cora replied.

…

Robin decided to take the rest of the day off. He needed to plan for the meeting the following morning and more importantly, to make sure he was sane enough to attend. So the blue eyed man headed for his car and stopped at "In & Out Burger" for his usual: Mahi-Mahi burger with fries. Then he headed back for Will's apartment to eat and get a head start on making calls to his attorney.

If he could represent himself, this whole thing probably would have been a lot easier, but unfortunately, life had a history of unfair rules. So instead he called one of his best mates and successful divorce attorney, Killian Jones. Luckily for him, Killian was an expert in reconciliation and it was exactly what Robin was seeking. And after six hours of frequent phone calls, they managed to devise the perfect documents needed for the following morning.

By 9pm he was exhausted. All this divorce talk was really wearing him out, and the mediation hadn't even started yet. So after a soothing hot shower and a few pain meds, he knocked out around a half hour later, but not before sending his lovely wife a goodnight text.

 _It went a little something like this:_

 _Robin: I hope you're as prepared for tomorrow as I am. I hope everything works out for the better. No matter what happens, know that I love you with every inch of my being. Give the kids a kiss goodnight for me._

 _Regina: And just when I thought my vomit could be repressed, you send me this load of crap. Excuse me while I go throw up. I hope the bed bugs bite._

 _Robin: I love you too honey. Sleep tight._

Yah. Wasn't exactly very pretty, but hey, at least he was trying. If he had any sense at all he would keep at this loving nature despite Regina's dedication to having a consistent bitchy attitude. _Which she has every right to have._ Robin smiled at his wife's texts as he read them over a second time. She always did have a way with words, that one. They weren't always pleasant, but they always held meaning. Robin slipped beneath the sheets as he set his phone on the table beside him. He then drifted into a deep sleep, his nerves finally calming as he began to dream.

…..

Across town Regina had done the same thing.

She had finally managed to get the children to bed and settled into her own. She couldn't help but give a slight smile at the sight of her husband's text, despite her urges against it. But it wasn't as if it was going to somehow curb her recent feelings toward him. Her decision remained nonetheless, and tomorrow would be her first step toward single avenue. She just needed a full night's rest and one hell of a lawyer. Two things she was sure to have.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Time: 8:45 AM

Place: The "soon to be Ex-husband's" office.

Destination: A hot bath (minus the wine) in the en-suite.

It was the morning of the mediation, or in other words, the morning from hell.

Robin stretched, his chest widening as his body adjusted from sleep. This was the day he would face the sad, but true reality he'd caused. And just like that, as if on que, he received a brutal reminder from his phone. The screen brightened as it read: _Divorce Mediation 9:00 AM._

He immediately regretted the choice of words. They hadn't been divorced yet, nor had he make a civil agreement to do so. They were just meeting to discuss their feelings toward the subject, which for Regina was quite clear. Robin on the other hand, was having none of it. For him, divorce was not an option. This meeting, was a gateway for reconciliation whether Regina wanted it or not. And to be completely honest, he'd be happy if she did very little talking. He knew gaining her trust again wouldn't be easy, but luckily it wasn't something he needed to do right away. He needed to eliminate these absurd notions of divorce from her head, first. Then, and only then would he be able to win her back.

"Oh Robin!" Will yelled.

The brunette man walked into the guest bedroom where his friend now took residence.

"You insist on being ridiculously vocal at this hour…" Said Robin.

"Oh, quit your whining and get up!" He laughed.

Robin rolled his eyes, running his hands through his dirty blonde hair as his eyes adjusted to the light.

"You excited to see 'er then yeh?" He asked.

The mere mention of _her_ made Robin's heart race. He never thought he could miss someone as much as he missed her.

"Of course I'm excited to see her, she's my wife. But I doubt she's excited to see me considering she hates my guts." Robin replied.

"Well to be fair, you did cheat on her. Adultery isn't exactly moral when you're married." He reasoned.

"Thank you Will, for stating the bloody obvious. Now if you'll excuse me, I should be getting ready."

"Anytime mate." He smirked, giving Robin a firm pat to the back.

As he left the room, Robin felt he could breathe a little easier. Will may have been trying to help but he certainly wasn't successful in doing so. Maybe he deserved to be haunted by his burdens. After all he was guilt ridden and he'd probably always be. Though for now, he chose not to conjure a failed destination for his future. He needed to be positive.

….

"Good Morning, Mrs. Locksely." Came the voice of her attorney.

"Good Morning, and if you don't mind, I would prefer if you called me Regina." She replied.

Regina glanced over at the digital clock aside her bed. Shit. Truthfully, she should have been up hours ago, but she was pregnant, and exhausted, so she had a valid excuse. Besides, all this anxiousness had taken a lot of her energy and well, sleep helped her to put it out of her mind. Regina steadied her voice, fearing she'd sound fresh from sleep.

"I trust that you are still going to make an appearance at the mediation this morning." He said.

Regina took a deep breath as she gripped the sheets aside her.

"Yes, of course. I will be there by no later than 9am." she uttered.

 _Or, she'll try real hard not to stall…_

"Great. I look forward to seeing you soon. Try and relax, alright? I know these things are never easy but, I see a ton of these cases every day. You can do this, just remember everything that we spoke about." He said.

Easy for him to say. He wasn't exactly the one divorcing his partner. She was kidding herself if she thought this meeting would be a walk in the park, especially with her husband. She tried to focus on his last words and tried even harder to believe them. So, she took a deep breath and mumbled an "Okay" as she stood to her feet.

"I'll see you shortly." Said added, ending the call.

She took another look at the time, seeing 7:29 suddenly change into 7:30. So much for taking a long hot shower. Instead she'd have to settle for a lukewarm ten minute clean up because washing her hair in the mix would only take up more time. The brunette strolled into her en-suite and set the water to the ideal temperature before stepping in.

Her mind began to drift as the water rained over her. All she could think about was the one who once held her heart. The man whom she had fallen completely head over heels in love with. Why did he have to go on and be so stupid when things were so perfect? If she wasn't so angry with him he'd probably be back home by now. And maybe they'd be working on improving their relationship. Maybe they'd have already settled things, and maybe in this alternate universe she'd have forgiven him. And maybe instead of shivering in this lukewarm shower water, thinking about him like some pathetic teen, she'd still be in bed, with _him_ , making love in the comfort of their warm blankets.

 _Maybe_.

But this was reality, and when Regina had finally escaped the vortex of her thoughts, she'd realized she hadn't even washed herself yet.

Great.

….

"How do I look?" Asked Robin.

He adjusted his tie in the reflection of the mirror and turned to Will for approval.

"Like you're going to court." Will grinned.

Robin did his best not to laugh at that one. He couldn't laugh, not at this situation. Because laughing at the situation would mean laughing at himself, and he was nowhere near ready to make jokes about the way he treated his wife. He'd never be ready.

"I don't have time for smart-ass comments Will…even if they are clever." He reasoned.

"Ahh, it seems I've hit a sweet spot." Said Will.

"Relax mate, you look smart. Go get 'em." He said.

Robin did his best to hide a smile but Will never did let him get away with it.

"Thanks Will." Said Robin, as he grabbed his redwell and keys.

"Oh and Robin…" Will continued.

"Yeh?"

"Don't say anything too stupid…" He smirked.

"I'll try."

And with that Robin headed for his Ferrari and off to his office.

…..

"Okay Viv, which one should mommy wear, the black or the burgundy?" She asked.

Regina held both dresses to her middle, her low-cut satin robe, trailing just to her knees. She needed a solid opinion on which of the two would be suitable for the meeting. Who better than to ask her clueless and adorable toddler. Vivienne smiled and pointed toward the one she liked most.

"...um back one mummy." She mumbled.

"The black one?" She asked, as her daughter nodded.

"Yeh." She confirmed, popping another Cheerio in her mouth.

And while Regina really hoped her daughter wouldn't spill the little bowl onto her bed, she knew it was only a matter of time.

"Okay my love, the black one it is! Thank you for being my little helper. You did a wonderful job." Said Regina.

She quickly grabbed the mini bowl from her bed and lifted her daughter into her arms.

"Give mummy a kiss." Regina begged, as the two-year-old obliged.

Regina's heart melted where she stood as she returned the sweet gesture. Her daughter gave her the sweetest of smiles before she rested her head on her shoulder. She truly did have a beautiful little girl and although she was eager to know what the future held for them, she wasn't exactly keen on her baby growing up. The thought squeezed at her heart and made her seriously consider ditching the meeting for play time with Vivienne. But then she remembered that she also needed to settle this dispute and that her time was wearing thin. Instead, she brought the child back to her nursery to play, knowing that soon her brother would wake to keep her company.

She hurried back to her bedroom to do her hair and makeup. Usually she opted for her usual foundation, eye liner, mascara, and a little gloss over her lips. But that was just her everyday "going to the market" look. Today, she opted for a little something extra. After all she only had a room full of men and a "soon to be ex-husband" to impress. Besides, women didn't need a valid excuse to look hot. So, she continued with her routine until she looked perfect and began working on her hair. She set her straightener to heat up and sectioned off her hair to do each piece. When she had finished, she ran a hand though her hair, giving it some body. And then she was fumbling through her products to find some sort of sheen to give it a little shine.

She wrapped up around five minutes later, putting the finishing touches to her hair before she moved to change. Her eyes glanced over to the clock yet again.

 _Damn, 8:15 already?_

Regina quickly untied her robe as she settled before her mirror. It had only been a little over nine weeks and already she was starting to show. It had been a small curve to her stomach, but it certainly wouldn't go unnoticed. She brushed her hand over the area, a small smile curved over her lips and she turned from side to side. She remembered hearing that second and third time moms would show much faster than their first pregnancies, and that was a given.

The brunette slipped into her black dress, praying to God that it would still fit her in all the right places. It had. And well, at least that had been going for her because Regina didn't think she could handle being fat and divorced.

 _8:18_

By now that clock was giving her anxiety, and not looking only made her want to look more. She decided to distract herself with finding a pair of shoes to match. Thankfully her full closet stole her attention and eventually she settled with a pair of five-inch patent leather Christian Louboutin's. Here it was most women could only dream of wearing the $500 pumps, and yet, she had about six pairs just staring at her. They did lead glamourous lives, she and Robin, lives that other people envied. Guess they wouldn't be as envious now, at least they wouldn't have five hundred dollar pumps to keep them warm at night. Regina sulked at the thought and gave herself one last look over in the mirror.

 _8:25_

She really had to be going now. If she left now she'd be maybe two minutes late, tops. So at the realization, Regina quickly grabs her purse, phone, and car keys before she's heading down stairs. Her mother had gotten the kids started on what she considered, a real breakfast, while telling them stories of when they had been even smaller. Cora had even wrapped a small "to go" breakfast for Regina to eat in the car, hoping it would calm her nerves.

"Good morning." Her mother smiled.

"Good morning mother. Thanks for getting the kids settled for me. It means a lot." She said, running her hands through Romeo's hair.

She gave her son a quick kiss and moved his chair closer to his plate. Cora simply smiled, resting a hand over her cheek.

"You don't have to thank me. I'm their grandmother, it's what grandmother's do." She reminded.

 _True._

"You just go and settle this, and be strong. Everything will be fine here." Cora added.

"Thank you, mother. But please call me if anything goes wrong, alright?" Regina asked.

Cora simply nodded.

It was the mother in Regina that would always worry for her children, no matter who cared for them. Though her mother was right, they were in good hands and she had to trust that. She had bigger fish to fry after all, and she wouldn't be able to focus her mind was wondering to the "what ifs" that were very unlikely to happen.

"Alright then. I'll be back soon." She said as she made her way for the door. .

"Mummy wait!" Yelled Romeo.

Regina stopped and turned his way. He came running after her with a picture in his hand.

"Did you draw this?" Asked Regina, as she looked over his creation.

The blonde boy smiled proudly as he gave a few nods.

"For daddy…" He continued.

Regina swallowed, her throat feeling tighter as she did so.

"...could you give it to him when you see him today? And tell him that I miss him." The boy added.

Regina was momentarily speechless, fearing her emotion would be detected through her voice. She quickly put on a smile, though on the inside she was internally crippled.

"Of course, I will." She said, mustering her strength.

The brunette leaned to grab her son, holding him in her arms.

"Mummy loves you so much and I promise things will get better soon enough. Okay?" she asked him.

His mother held his hands in hers, giving them each a special kiss. And then she was kissing his cheek before she gave him a final hug. The boy embraced his mother once again before he was pulling away. Because if he hadn't stopped, she certainly wouldn't have. They then said their goodbyes and Regina had finally left for her car.

 _8:33_

…

Robin arrived after a short fifteen-minute drive.

He closed the door to his Ferrari, locking the car as he walked ahead.

Somehow the building where he'd spent hours at a time had seemed foreign. Maybe it was because he knew his day had about a 90% chance of failure. Not to mention, his self-confidence would be at an all-time low. Or maybe it was because he just wasn't used to being here this early on a normal workday.

 _Was the office always this dead at this time?_

He stepped off the elevator as he arrived on the 8th floor, immediately heading for the conference room. And there before him sat his lawyer, Killian, with a coffee in hand and a stack of freshly prepared documents.

"Hey mate." Said Killian, standing up to shake his hand.

"Hey, thanks for doing this, it means a lot." Said Robin

"Anytime. That's what friends are for. And besides, if I ever get the opportunity to help out a friend then I will." He replied.

Somehow, Killian being there made him feel at ease. He may have been his attorney, but he was also one of his best mates. And well, truthfully, Robin was happy to have moral support.

 _9:00_

Regina pulled into the office lot and made her way for the 8th floor. When she arrived, her attorney was waiting for her in the lobby.

"Regina, Good Morning." He smiled, shaking her hand.

"Good Morning." She smiled, taking a deep breath.

Her hands were shaking and she was sure she could puke from anxiety (or her never ending cycle of morning sickness). She made a mental note to know where the closest bathroom was to empty out her guts, just in case.

"Regina?" Asked her attorney.

"Ugh yah, sorry. I must have zoned our for a moment there. What did you say?"

"Are you alright?" He questioned.

"Yep. Never better. We should get on with this. Quickly." She decided.

And at that, they were headed for the conference room, a bit tense, and quite prepared.

…

Robin knew the pattern of that walk anywhere.

His wife's heels tapped against the marble flooring as they finally entered the conference room.

"Well, glad to see the gang's all here." Said Killian, as he stood to his feet once more.

"Good Morning, I'm Killian Jones, Mr. Locksley's attorney."

"Richard Goldstein. But I prefer Gold." He introduced.

The two shook hands and took their seats.

"Yes. We spoke briefly on the phone. It's good to meet you. Shall we begin?" He asked.

He gave a nod, but the two most important people in the room were a bit too busy staring at one another to move.

Killian cleared his throat.

"Could I just have a few minutes alone with my wife before we begin?" He asked.

Robin looked to Regina for her approval, though she avoided his eyes. Did he not understand how difficult this was in the first place?

"Please?" Asked Robin.

Their attorneys surely had no objection to the matter, and they were not about to interfere with an overly anxious husband and his hormonal pregnant wife.

Regina gave a small sigh and agreed thereafter. She really should have seen this coming, dealing with Robin Locksley would mostly likely involve sabotage. And so suddenly she found herself leaving the room, her husband trailing behind her like a lost puppy. He took her into his office and shut the door. Damn, it had been a while since she'd been there. She wasn't exactly the "visit my husband during office hours" type.

She turned around, her arms folded as he called her name.

"Regina…babe. Are you sure this is what you really want?" He asked.

 _Don't look at him. Don't break._

She couldn't look him in the eyes. If she had, she knew she'd look into those perfect pools of blue and crack. And cracking would mean failing. It would mean accepting that what he'd done to her was what she deserved. And no woman deserved that. The brunette pressed her hands tighter into their fold, avoiding his eyes at all costs.

"Regina look at me." He said, grabbing her chin.

There was a flood of tears building over her waterline, but she wouldn't dare let them fall. Regina Mills was many things: a loving mother, a bestselling novelist, a friend, and one hell of a good cook, if I might add. But she was not _weak_.

And she was not about to give her husband the satisfaction of seeing her break. She swallowed hard and puffed her lips in that cute way she always had. It had always helped her to keep from crying.

"What?" She asked, (and god was she happy to know her voice had not betrayed her).

His eyes panned between hers as he searched for an answer.

Nada.

"Regina—" He began.

"Robin, I've made my decision. I want this divorce. So, could you for once just choose not to complicate things?" She asked.

"You don't know what you want! You're hurt because of the pain I caused you. And I understand why you feel the way you do. But I can't lose you." He softened.

"Let me make one thing clear! You were the one who broke us!" Regina shouted.

"I know—"

"You are the reason our children cry themselves to sleep because they miss their father." She added.

"I—"

"You are the reason I haven't had peaceful sleep in months, the reason I've hated myself for months because I still can't understand what was so wrong with me that my husband didn't find me good enough anymore!" She yelled.

"Regina, you've always been good enough. But I acted out of anger. I did something that I can never, ever take back and I'm sorry." Robin admitted.

Regina continued to shake her head. And then Robin was holding her arms in his hands. It was in that moment that he really got a good look at her. She was stunning, and she had that glow about her. He would have kissed her if he wasn't at risk of being slapped.

"I was upset because I wanted time with you and back then I felt like you were neglecting our relationship. You'd be out 'til midnight getting your chapters in before deadlines and I'd be home with the kids all night."

And there she was, avoiding his eyes again.

No.

He was not about to make her feel guilty for this.

"I just...missed you. I missed the way things had been before our careers, before our children. I missed the way we used to laugh all night at one another's jokes. I missed sex!" He trailed.

She kept quiet and listened on, even against her better judgement.

"And so, instead of doing right by you and telling you the truth about how I felt, I chose to get even. I just wanted to make you a little jealous, I never imagined things would come to this." He admitted.

She chose to look at him once more.

"Well I guess the jokes on you, huh?" She croaked.

 _And that, was the moment Regina Mills cracked._

She had to walk away. She couldn't bear to look at him any longer. All of this, and for what? Because the man she loved didn't have the balls to be honest with her. It was funny how something so remotely small could cause a crash of events. She broke free of the grip he held on her arms and moved to leave. Though she hadn't gotten very far before he was pulling her back again.

"Let go of me! You got what you wanted, you had your fun! What else could you possibly want from me?!" She yelled. Her tears had disobeyed their sole task, not to fall.

Robin wiped her tears before he was moving to his desk. He grabbed a picture frame which contained a family portrait they had taken a year back. And if Regina wasn't crying a few seconds before, she was certainly crying now.

 _Damn those stupid hormones._

"Regina what I want is this…" Robin said, showing her the picture.

"And this…" He added, resting a hand over her stomach as he moved closer.

"I want my family back." He told.

Regina didn't know whether to kiss him or hit him (really hard). How could he cause so much trouble and expect everything there after to be so easy? And yet, she found herself considering what he was saying.

"Robin, you already messed up so many things and I don't think I can handle—"

"Regina I love you. I love you more than anything and I will do whatever it takes to have you back. Even if it means proving to you that I can be a better man." Said Robin.

 _Was he serious?_

"People don't just change overnight Robin." Regina sighed.

She found herself suddenly making every excuse in the book. Somehow, she just couldn't shake the pain she felt of his betrayal.

"No, they can't. But I'm willing to spend an entire life time making things up to you." He added.

Robin took a few steps closer, inching forward as if to take precaution. His hands cupped her cheeks as he looked into her eyes once more. And suddenly he found himself moving to kiss her, though her finger quickly stopped him.

"You want me back? You're going to have to work for it. And I mean, you better be damn good at it." She said, pushing her husband off her.

Robin swallowed hard. He'd never been so nervous and turned on at the same time.

As she walked off, her hips slightly swaying as her heels clacked against the floor, she'd realized something.

"I almost forgot." She said, reaching into her pocket.

Robin simply stared.

"Your son drew a picture for you." Said Regina, handing him the photo.

And then she was heading for his office door and this time, he wasn't stopping her.

He'd held the picture in hand, staring at the creation his young boy had made.

It was then that Robin had really cried.

Here he was, jealous of a drawing which portrayed a happier version of his current situation. Here he was, a weeping mess as he held the drawing to his chest.

His knees suddenly felt as though they could no longer support him, so he found his office chair.

He hadn't even realized Killian had come into the room. And when his friend placed a hand to his back he'd just about lost it.

"Things will get better mate. You have to believe that." He reasoned.

"This is all my fault. I did this." He cried.

"Yes. You did," He said, choosing not to sugar coat the situation.

Killian bent to his level as he took a deep breath.

"…but you will get her back." He encouraged.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Time: 10:44 AM

Place: Will's

Destination: …beyond the four walls of Will's apartment.

Robin looks hit. There's a four-day old pizza stain on his tank, his stubble was growing in all different directions, and from the looks of him, it was clear he hadn't showered in at least a week. And poor Will, the man was this close (imagine my hand making the shape of a rice grain) to losing his shit. There was only so much _depressed Robin_ he could take. He was two seconds away from calling Regina and begging her to take him back just so he could have a break. But given the circumstances, that wasn't exactly an option.

The brunette Irishman walked from his bathroom, droplets of water treading behind him. He spotted his over stayed house guest spread across the couch sulking as he watched cartoons on the TV.

It was one of his childhood favorites, Tom and Jerry.

And as he watched the classic game of cat and mouse…

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me." Will spat.

Robin sighed, turning from his friend's sight.

"This is ridiculous…" Will moaned on.

Robin covered his face with the saggy pillow he'd been sleeping on, doing his best to tune out what he knew would be another one of his complaints.

"I mean you stay up all hours of the night eating junk, you haven't been to the gym in over two weeks, and my living room smells like somethings bloody died in here!" Will argued.

Robin sat up, sulking as he held his head in his hand, no doubt feeling sorry for himself.

"For Christs sake, why don't you just go home and talk to her?" He pressed.

He would have. And oh, how he wanted to. But his wife was Regina Locksley and if there was an Olympic metal awarded to the longest grudge holder, it would certainly go to her. So "just going home" wasn't exactly a walk in the park.

"What the hell am I supposed to say to her? I ruined our lives. It's my fault! I'm the reason our family is broken." Robin yelled, rising to his feet.

"Then fix it! Do something, anything besides sitting here feeling sorry for yourself like some weak child!" Will shouted.

Will was right, Robin was acting like a child. But nothing truly could have prepared him for the heartache this had brought. The sting of her leaving had burned for weeks and Robin feared it would last a lifetime. But Will seemed to find the simplicity in fixing things. Problem was this wasn't some patch job on his old sweater or posting money for bail (that was usually the scale of issues he faced). This was his marriage they were talking about. And if Robin was being honest, he had no clue where to begin. He feared that with each passing day his children would grow to resent him for his absence. And Robin didn't think he could handle both his children and Regina hating him. So regardless of what, he _had_ to make this work. He just needed to come up with a solid plan.

"Your right." He admitted.

The anger in Will's eyes began to fade, replaced with sympathy for his friend.

"Robin, I've known you for years and I know you love Regina. But she's hurt and she's pregnant. So, she's even more sensitive toward everything going on. Talk to her, be honest with her, and give her some time. She'll come around, trust me. But you need to make the first move." Said Will.

Robin began to feel at ease. It was hard believing others when you didn't believe in yourself, but Will's encouragement was helping. At least now he had somewhere to start.

"And take a shower will ya?" Will smirked.

Robin snickered.

"I'm dead serious, you stink." His friends voice echoed from the hall as he headed for his room.

And at that, Robin was headed toward the bathroom for a much-needed shower.

….

"Regina are you sure you're alright?" Tink asked.

"Never better." The brunette gave a peachy smile as she finished dressing her toddler.

She lifted Vivienne off her bed and set her on the carpeted floor.

"Why don't you go play with your brother while mommy talks to Aunt Tink okay?"

The two-year old nodded and ran off to find her energetic brother. Surely, he could entertain her somehow.

"It's just you seem a bit…I don't know, off since well, you know." She said, her tone heavy with concern.

"I'm fine Tink, I swear. Things haven't exactly been a walk in the park, but I'm getting the hang of it. Besides, lots of women are single moms. I'm not the first and I won't be the last."

"Regina it's alright to be angry. And you don't have to do this alone, you have tons of family who love and care about you who can help. That includes me. Besides you need to take care of yourself and your baby."

"Tink I have wasted _the_ last tear crying over this. The fact is my husband made a choice and that is a choice he will forever have to live with. And FYI, I am taking care of myself. But I'm not about to cry over spilt milk when my children need me." Regina clarified as she headed for downstairs.

Tink hadn't meant to upset her. If anything, she was trying to do the opposite. She knew Regina was trying everything to distract herself from the obvious, and if it meant using her children as a distraction, then so be it.

Regina busied herself with the dishes, hoping to suppress the tension she now felt. Not everything was about her asshole of a husband. And quite frankly, she was this close to slapping the next person who mentioned his name.

"I think I'd better head out." Said Tink.

Regina had been so focused on the stains on her plates that she hadn't even heard the blond come down. She continued rinsing the dishes, mouthing a small "okay" and placing the clean ones to dry. Okay…so she may have been acting a tad dramatic, but she was feeling very vulnerable. She knew deep down that Tink was just being a friend. She had every right to be concerned for her given the circumstances. And if she hadn't, then what kind of friend would she be?

"Call me if you need anything." Said Tink, before leaving her friend to her chores.

"Bye kids!" She yelled as they ran to give her a hug.

The blue-eyed woman smiled and gave them bear hugs, peppering kisses atop of their heads. Then she took leave.

...

Hours had passed since she'd left and now Regina was missing her friend. As much as she'd hated to admit it, caring for two small children while pregnant wasn't easy. And lately, Tink had been a huge help. Mother left shortly after was always there when she needed a break to eat or a much-needed nap. She even offered to babysit when Regina needed to run errands or take a few hours to write.

 _Damn._

 _When was the last time she wrote?_

Regina honestly couldn't remember. She had been too distracted with raising her kids and crying over her divorce to care. But it had always been her outlet, her safe place. Some of her best books were written in her most stressful moments, and her situation of the hour certainly qualified as stressful.

So maybe she should finish what she started. Grab a nice cup of coco, sit by the fire, and grab her laptop after the kids fall asleep. She could squeeze in an hour or two before sleep claims her for the night. And that way, she'd have something to take her mind from all the chaos.

But for now, she hears someone crying in the play room, so her writing fest must be put on hold.

She heads for the far end of the hall and opens the door to the right to find her screaming two-year-old.

"It's okay, mommy's here what's wrong?"

Vivienne pointed to her guilty looking brother. He wore a Darth Vader mask, a navy tee, and Hanes tidy whiteys. The boy picked up his light saber and pressed the glow up button as it began to make action noises.

Regina smiled and took off his mask.

"Romeo did you scare your sister with this mask on purpose."

He smiled in response and played with the ends of his shirt. Regina always knew he was lying when he'd fidget with his clothing.

"Not on purpose." He lied.

"Yes." Vivienne cried, holding her mother close.

"Okay well, can you say sorry to your sister? She's very scared."

The boy nodded and apologized as his mother had asked.

He gave his baby sister a kiss on the cheek and Regina's heart nearly melted. She knew her son would be such an amazing big brother to their next baby and she couldn't wait to witness it. But she just couldn't bring herself to tell them yet. Things were too messy and Regina didn't know if she'd be prepared for the questions they'd ask. So instead, she decided it best to keep things on the down low while she still could.

"Thank you monkey." She said, giving her son a quick peck to the lips.

And at that, she brought the kids into the living room to settle down. Regina grabbed "Monster's Inc" and popped it into the DVD player for the kids to watch. That way she could get started on the tricolor pasta she'd planned for lunch and try to fit in some lounge time while the kids were napping.

 _Perfect._

Except, seconds later…

….

Robin pulled into their driveway.

It seemed like forever since he'd drove into his spot, and now that he was here the reality of his plan was hitting him. The Englishman took a deep breath and did his best to mentally prepare himself for what was about to unfold. Then he opened the car door and saw a small child peeking through the window.

 _Romeo._

"Daddy's here!" the boy gasped, running to the front door.

The small boy ran as fast as his legs could carry him and into his father's arms. Robin knelt to his size, tears immediately falling from his face as he embraced his son in his arms. It may have only been a matter of weeks, but to Robin things felt like a life time. His heart felt heavy, as if the organ had suddenly gained fifty pounds. He ran his hands through his son's blond locks, kissing his rosy cheek as he pulled away to look at him.

"I've missed you so much my boy. Look at you, you're already getting so big." Said Robin.

"I missed you too daddy."

The man did his best to hold back anymore tears, but when he spotted her in the door way he feared they'd fall again.

Romeo turned to look back at his mother, who held his two-year old sister in her arms.

"Romeo take your sister and go inside." Regina said sternly.

"But mummy—" He tried

"Now Romeo." She told him.

He did as he was told and Regina shut the front door behind her.

There he was.

And there she was.

The two most important people in the mess he made.

 _How dare he show up here? And without calling first?_

"How dare you show up here, and without calling first for one?" Regina asked, folding her arms.

Robin froze, taking in the sight of her. Regina was glowing, her olive skin was vibrant and had beautiful peach tones to it. She simply looked radiant. And as she folded her arms above her stomach, Robin could clearly see how big she was getting. Regina was reaching her fourth month of pregnancy and it wouldn't be long before she was a mother to three. He felt a sudden guilt hanging over him because what kind of a man abandons their expectant wife?

 _On second thought, maybe he should just leave._

 _Clearly this wasn't a good idea._

 _And besides, why was he even listening to advice from a man who's never held a relationship for more than a few months?_

 _Instead…_

The blond man sighed, deciding that giving this anymore thought would discourage him from doing what he came for.

"Hello? Earth to asshole?" She snapped.

He should know better than to test her patience.

"I had to see them…and you. And besides would you have let me come over if I had called first?" He asked.

"No." She spat.

"Exactly, that's why I did it. I miss my family Regina and I want to make things right."

The brunette rolled her eyes, _"Goodbye_ Robin."

She turned to walk away, though he'd grabbed her hand.

"Regina please, this isn't about us, this is about them."

She stopped in her place and narrowed her eyes.

"The last time you said that you ended up trying to win me back by flirting with me for an hour."

Robin smirked, full well knowing he had.

"Well can you blame a guy for trying? In my defense, my wife is pretty hot." He reasoned.

 _Was he serious?_

Was he honestly trying to flirt with her again? I mean, a part of her had been secretly flattered in a weird angsty sort of way. But she was still angry with him, and she planned on being angry with him for a very long time.

"Stop talking." She said.

Because Robin was digging an even deeper hole for himself right about now.

"Alright look, you can come inside, but only because we need to discuss the children." She decided.

Robin nodded and followed her in. As she opened the door, the children could be heard laughing from the playroom.

"The kids are due for a nap soon. After I get them settled, we can talk."

"Can I play with them for a bit?" He asked.

He really shouldn't have had to ask to play with his own children. But seeing it was that he was in deep waters with Regina, he didn't want to risk pissing her off.

"Fine, but only for a little while." She said, leaving for the other room.

Robin hurried over to the playroom before his wife could change her mind. When he walked inside, Romeo's smile brightened.

"Come here daddy, come play with us!"

Romeo could hardly contain his excitement. He had missed his father more than he imagined. The boy had been longing to see him, and although his mother believed it best for his father to stay away, it had only pained him more. The only thing that helped him was to remember better times. He recalled the times his father would tuck him in at night, and help him tie his shoes, and sing silly songs to make him feel better when he was sad. Now those had all been things Regina had done, things that he'd longed for his father to do.

Robin took his son in hand as he led him over to a spot filled with Legos. But his attention immediately turned to his daughter. She looked so much the mirror image of her mother. Same nose, same lips, same facial expressions. He was completely in love with his two-year-old.

"Vivienne, can daddy have a hug?" He asked, lowering to her level.

She chewed on her finger, looking up at him with those beautiful pools of hazel.

"Come here." He told her, motioning her to come forward.

She took small steps toward her father, as if she were afraid. It was as if she was debating on whether she should trust him. Though, after a few more steps she had been in his arms. His heart clenched when he felt her rest her head on his shoulder. She was his perfect little girl, his shining star in the darkness of night. And he loved her more than life itself.

Her chubby fingers grabbed at the fabric on his clothing and she began to fiddle with the buttons aligning his dress shirt.

"Daddy missed you so much." He said, planting a big kiss to her head.

He couldn't believe this. He was _actually_ back in his home with his children. And for the next hour, he and the kids had managed to play make believe, fairy princess, and attack of the scary monster (which happened to be the kids favorite). But soon enough Regina had returned to collect them for their nap.

"Did you guys have fun with daddy?" Regina asked, folding her arms.

"YAH!" The kids said simultaneously.

Regina smiled, glad to see the kids had been happy.

"Okay, come on guys, naptime."

"Can I take them?" Robin asked.

"Please mummy?" Asked Romeo.

The boy begged with pleading eyes, clutching his father's hand. Vivienne looked back at her mother from her father's arms.

Regina put on her best smile. "Okay. Have a good nap, I'll see you in a few hours."

…..

Robin took Romeo first.

He pulled back the blankets of his son's dino-themed bed and placed him inside.

Romeo grabbed his stuffed monkey, holding him close as his father tucked him in.

"I love you buddy, thanks for playing with me today." Robin said, kissing his head.

The blond boy yawned, pushing his long hair from his face as he began to drift off.

"Your welcome daddy."

The boy kissed his sister's head, bidding her goodnight as he gave another yawn.

Robin smiled wide as he headed for the door.

As he heard his son's small voice once more, the man stopped in his tracks.

"Daddy?"

Robin turned to face his son, his daughter half asleep on his shoulder.

"Yes?"

"Will you be here tomorrow?"

Robin took a moment before he gave an answer, clutching his daughter slightly tighter.

"I hope so."

…

Regina had been downstairs straightening up the living room as she listened to soft jazz. It had always calmed her when she was worked up or stressed. And with her husband lurking around and about, she had every reason to be more anxious than usual.

"They're ugh, asleep." Robin voiced.

Regina gave a nod. It seemed she wasn't getting out of this one.

Robin took a moment to listen, a smile creeping over his lips as he moved slightly closer.

"Isn't this my Rippingtons album?" He asked.

"Maybe." She shrugged.

"I remember this. Track number four is Snowbound. I used to play this on my way to work every morning." He smiled.

Regina couldn't bring herself to look at him. Instead she focused on any other remotely interesting object in the room.

"or um...in the car with you." He added.

Regina cleared her throat.

"It calms me down when I'm stressed out."

"Yeh?" He asked.

She gave a nod.

"hmhm..."

Robin was no idiot. He was the source of her stress. He wished this had all been a terrible dream he could somehow wake up from, but it wasn't. Instead he woke every morning to relive the consequences of his mistakes.

He was suddenly pulled back into reality, hearing her speak once more.

"Would you like anything to drink?" She asked.

She wasn't going to offer at all. And to be clear, she wasn't asking because she particularly cared. It was only to be polite.

Regina was a manurable woman with standards. And she wasn't about to lower them because of the likes of her bastard husband.

"Water please, if you don't mind."

Robin felt like a stranger in his own home and he hated it. This had been more awkward than he had anticipated. He just hoped this talk would go as he planned. As long as he took Will's advice and resisted the urge to say something stupid, things would go over smoothly.

 _If he could resist…_

Regina reached for one of the kitchen cupboards and retrieved a glass. She filled it half way with water and set it on a coaster before him.

"Thank you." Robin said, taking a small sip.

Regina took her seat at the table, eyeing him as her patience began to wear thin.

"Speak."

Robin prepared his words.

"I miss them Regina."

"You already said that Robin."

"I know and I'm saying it again because I can't leave them anymore. They're just as much my children as they are yours and they deserve to see their father."

"You weren't exactly thinking about them when you were off porking that tramp." Regina snapped.

 _Okay, so he deserved that._

"Regina what I did was terrible, and in many ways unforgivable. But my children don't deserve to lose their father over it."

They didn't deserve the consequences of their father's arrogance.

They were innocents in all of this.

But although her husband seemed prepared in his thoughts, Regina certainly wasn't. She sure as hell never thought he'd be bold enough to show up this soon. And honestly, she didn't think she ever would be. She didn't so much as want to look at this man, and now he was here, in their kitchen. Now here he was playing the part of the good father so that he could worm his way back into their lives. But Regina knew better.

"Look. So much has changed and I don't want to confuse them anymore. I have an idea but I don't think you're going to like it." Robin said.

"There is no way in hell you're moving back in here, so sorry if that was the big idea." Regina scowled.

Robin paused.

 _Fuck._

"Why not?" Robin asked.

"Because I don't like you." Regina reasoned.

 _Understandable._

"We've established how you feel about me Regina."

"Good, just thought I'd make that crystal clear."

She gave him a sarcastic smile and he resisted every urge to roll his eyes. This was not the time to act like children when they were discussing the ones they had.

"Will you at least consider it? I could live downstairs in the basement. This way I could see the kids whenever I want, and help around the house, and even take the kids to school." He offered.

"There's just one problem."

"What?"

"The point of divorcing you was to avoid seeing your face on a daily basis."

"We aren't even divorced!"

"YET!" she challenged.

"You and I both know you don't want to divorce me. If you had you would have signed the papers at the mediation last month."

"You think you know me Robin, but you don't."

 _Was she joking?_

"No Regina, it's because I do know you that I want to make this work. We've known each other over a decade. Doesn't that mean anything to you?" He asked.

"I don't want to make things work Robin! If we didn't have kids I'd have been half way across the world right now."

"Look, Regina I just want to spend some time with them. I miss them and I know they miss me. Just give me two months to look for an apartment and then I swear, I'll be out of your hair."

She honestly couldn't believe she was considering it. But at this point, she'd do just about anything to make him stop talking. And although he may have been overworking her last nerve, Regina had to admit something: Seeing the way her children had lit up around their father warmed her heart. Seeing them happy was what Regina wanted for her children and if that made them happy, then she wasn't going to object to that. Her children's happiness would always be put above her own and that was first and foremost. Because what kind of parent would she be if she hadn't?

This didn't mean she couldn't be happy. It just meant she'd have to find a way to avoid the things that made her unhappy.

Like Robin, atm.

And well, seeing her children smile would definitely be a start.

"Give me the rest of the day to think on it, and I'll give you an answer by tonight." She decided.

Robin had to admit he was in shock. But the fact that his wife was even considering it was a start in the right direction. So if she needed time to think, he was going to give her that. It was the least he could do anyway.

"Thank you. I hope you know I don't take what you're doing for me lightly."

"I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing this for our kids. And I wouldn't thank me just yet love, there's still a fifty percent chance of you staying at Will's." She smirked.

And there she was, toying with his emotions by using the nickname _he'd_ given her. But she'd snuffed out everything good about it, and now it had just been a mocking sarcastic remark.

" _Love" was his thing. And she wasn't allowed to make a mockery out of it._

"Well to be honest, I'm hanging by a thread with Will. Apparently, I'm a sulking overstayed house guest."

The smug look on Regina's face made his heart race.

"Shocking."

"You're enjoying this aren't you?" He narrowed his eyes, a smirk creeping over his lips.

"Hmhm, I must say it's quite satisfying watching you beg."

This was typical Regina, and he knew her all too well. First she'd get angry, and then she'd get even. And to be honest, that scared him shitless. Though Robin would be lying if he said he didn't like her a bit more on edge. It was oddly fun challenging her every remark with one of his own, but he wasn't going to test her yet. Not when he still needed a place to live.

 _So instead he went with…_

"I should get going."

Regina stood to her feet as she cleared her throat.

 _Thank God._

They both made their way over to the front door.

"Yah, you should." She decided, folding her arms once more.

Robin looked down at her stomach. He was avoiding the obvious. But the fact was soon there'd be another baby, another mouth to feed, and another person depending on him to be a father. It was all hitting him now. He wanted to bring his son or daughter home from the hospital, Regina at his side like he'd done for the last two. But Robin imagined it be a while before he could even suggest anything like that.

"How are you feeling." He suddenly asked.

"Fine." She quickly answered.

"And the baby." He gestured.

"The baby's fine."

"Do the kids know?" Robin asked.

They didn't. Because how the hell could she give the news when she was in denial? The truth was that this divorce was all she could think about. And while she was taking care of herself, eating right, taking her prenatal vitamins, and avoiding alcohol (no matter how badly she may have needed a drink), she wasn't exactly happy to know that she'd be raising all three of them on her own.

"Haven't told them yet." She finally said.

Robin simply nodded.

Because what else could he possibly say to make this conversation any less awkward?

"Well, if I'm not mistaken, usually this thing keeps growing. And I doubt Romeo will believe mummy swallowed a watermelon." He smirked.

 _Fuck, don't laugh._

He managed to get a smirk out of her, though she quickly corrected it.

"I'd have to agree. If he were more like you then I'd be concerned but, thankfully he got his mother's brain."

 _Ouch._

"And I will tell my children when I feel the time is right. You don't get to have a say in that."

"Okay—"

"Now if there's nothing else you'd like to say by all means, make friends with the outside world." She asked.

"Actually, there is one last thing I'd like to say."

 _Could he not take a hint?_

She sighed, growing impatient. This was ridiculous. What did a woman have to do around here to get some peace?

"What?"

"I just want you to know that despite what you may think, I am truly sorry for what's happened. I intend on doing everything in my power to get you back Regina. You're my wife and the mother of my children and I love you. I will always love you and I will never stop loving you. I just hope that we can put aside our differences for the kids, and try."

Her doe brown eyes were cloudy now, but she quickly averted her eyes.

Why couldn't he just be an idiot and keep fighting with her like normal people?

"I bet. You know it's funny how quick we apologize for the things we've done wrong after we realize how bad things really are..."

She was in no position to forgive him.

Not after the way he made her feel.

So instead she gave a wry expression and said,

"Goodbye Robin."

The brunette shut the door, leaving a sulking Robin outside.

Already he felt so far away. He silently kicked himself for getting himself into this mess. If he had only known where he'd be now, he wouldn't have given Liza a second thought.

He walked off, heading back to his car to head back.

His stomach grumbled as he drove, roaring with demands to be filled. Robin decided to listen and stopped for some fast food. Just a simple burger and fries from Wendy's and a six pack from Bottle King. Because he could really use a few beers and late-night football right about now. Good thing it was game night over in the UK. The match between Liverpool and Manchester would start in the next hour, and if Robin had guessed correctly, Will would be planted on the couch with a bucket of wings. At least he'd have his best friend to hang with for the night. Although he'd much rather have been with Regina.

He pulled into the apartment parking garage and headed up to 4B, Will's apartment. And as suspected, the game had been blasting from the living room. Luckily, he'd only missed the first ten minutes and no one had scored yet.

Robin held up the six pack, "My bet's on Manchester."

The blond man cracked open his beer can and took a sip, letting the liquid quench his thirst.

"I don't know mate, Manchester's been a bit sloppy with their passes lately." He said.

"We'll just have to wait and see."

Will gave his friend a sympathetic smile, "How'd it go?" He asked.

"Well I got to see the kids, so that was a plus. I talked to her about moving back in and she said she'd give me an answer by tonight. But…she still wants nothing to do with me." He shrugged, taking a bite of his burger.

Will smirked.

"Do you know anything about women?"

"No Will, enlighten me," Robin said sarcastically.

"You see Regina's only angry because she loves you as much as she does. If she didn't love you she wouldn't be this upset. She's just disappointed, which I get. But she'll come around in time."

"I don't know mate, I mean she's really angry."

"Did you say anything stupid?" He asked

"I don't think so."

"Good. Then all you can do at this point is wait it out and hope for the best."

Suddenly his phone buzzed. Robin set his food aside, bringing his phone into view.

"It's her." He said.

"Well don't just stand there, answer the bloody phone." Will laughed.

Robin cleared his throat, making hand gestures for Will to reduce the volume on the television. His friend nodded and did so before giving him thumbs up.

"Hallo?" Robin asked.

"I thought about your question." Regina said.

Robin suddenly felt as if he'd sprinted a five-mile run. His heart was pounding harder than the beat to a heavy drum and with every passing second, he grew more nervous.

"And?" He asked cautiously.

Regina sighed, running her hands through her hair. Although Robin couldn't see from his end.

"I will agree to the terms, if you can promise me one thing." She said.

"Anything…"

"You need to promise me that while you are here that you will be one hundred percent dedicated to our children." She said.

It was that simple. And yet Robin was so confused. It wasn't as if he was a bad father when their lives were in better circumstances. I mean, if he was being honest with himself, he worked pretty long hours during the day and came home when the kids were getting ready for bed. So the only time he really ever got to see them was during the early mornings and weekends. But he supposed it if meant gaining his wife's respect, he could shed a few hours at the office and spend more time with his kids. After all, that was what he wanted.

Robin smiled wide, thanking his lucky stars that his wife couldn't see the way he seemed to beam like a child.

"Consider it done."

…

Well guy's he may be back but he's nowhere near the clear yet.

Stay tuned…


End file.
